Craspedocephalus macrolepis

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Craspedocephalus macrolepis
Large-scaled pitvitper-Closeup.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Craspedocephalus
Species:
C. macrolepis
Binomial name
Craspedocephalus macrolepis
(Beddome, 1862)
Synonyms
  • Trimesurus macrolepisBeddome, 1862
  • Peltopelor macrolepis– Günther, 1864
  • Trigonocephalus macrolepis
    – Ferguson, 1895
  • Lachesis macrolepis– Boulenger, 1896
  • Trimeresurus macrolepis
    – M. A. Smith, 1943 [2]
  • Peltopelor macrolepis
    – Malhotra & Thorpe, 2004
  • Trimeresurus (Peltopelor) macrolepis
    – David et al., 2011 [3]

Craspedocephalus macrolepis, commonly known as the large-scaled pit viper, is a venomous pitviper species endemic to the Southern Western Ghats of South India. [4] [5] No subspecies are currently recognized. [6]

Contents

Tongue flicking Trimeresurus macrolepis head and tongue.jpg
Tongue flicking

Geographic range

It is found in the mountains of southern Western Ghats south of Palakkad Gap, in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is a high-elevation specialist, not normally recorded anywhere below 1200 m asl. Precise records are from Nelliyampathy, Munnar, Anaimalai, Palni hills, Meghamalai, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Agasthyamalai and Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. [7] at elevations of 1200-2695 m asl. [8] The type locality is listed as "Anamalai hills (Tamil Nadu State, southwestern India)". [2]

Description

Length includes a tail 12 cm (4.7 in) long. [9]

Dorsally, C. macrolepis is bright green, with blackish skin between the scales in some places. There is a yellow or white stripe on each side of the body, which runs along the first dorsal scale row. The upper lips are pale green, and there may be a black streak behind the eye. Ventrally, it is , which are large, keeled, and overlapping, are arranged in only 12-15 rows at midbody. The dorsal scales in the 10 middle rows are always the largest, and additional rows are made up of smaller scales. An even number of dorsal scale rows is frequently found in this species, even though it is uncommon in snakes in general. Ventrals 133–143; subcaudals divided 44–58. [8]

The scales on the top of the head are very large, smooth, and overlapping. There is an elongate subocular, which is separated from the upper labials by a row of a few small scales. There are 7-8 upper labials, of which the 3rd is the largest. [8]

Taxonomy

Craspedocephalus macrolepis has a long spineless hemipenis without papillae; the hemipenis has a long calyculate region beginning at some distance from the fork of the hemipenis and continuing until the tip. In addition, it has enlarged head scales, somewhat akin to those of Agkistrodon species. Based on these characters, and its Western Ghats distribution, Malhotra and Thorpe (2004) resurrected the genus Peltopelor Günther, 1864 for this species. [10]

Habitat

Craspedocephalus macrolepis is a slow-moving, arboreal, nocturnal snake that prefers rainforests, and is also found in tea, coffee and cardamom plantations. [7]

Behavior

It is both terrestrial and arboreal, using its prehensile tail to hold onto branches. It is an ambush hunting snake relying on its camouflage to catch prey. [8] The heat-sensing loreal pits are used to locate warm-blooded prey. [11]

Diet

It feeds mainly on frogs, lizards, small birds and rodents. [7]

Venom

Presumed to contain hemotoxin, but not that thoroughly studied. Even though tea pickers are frequently bitten by this species, the bites are seldom fatal. [7]

Reproduction

Craspedocephalus macrolepis is oviparous. Sexually mature females lay eggs in October, in clutches of 4–7. [7]

Close up of head Trimeresurus macrolepis head.jpg
Close up of head

Related Research Articles

<i>Trimeresurus</i> Genus of snakes

Trimeresurus is a genus of venomous pit vipers found in Asia from the Indian Subcontinent throughout Southeast Asia, China, and the Pacific Islands. Currently 44 species are recognized. Common names include Asian palm pit vipers, Asian lanceheads, and green pit vipers.

<i>Craspedocephalus strigatus</i> Species of reptile

Craspedocephalus strigatus, commonly known as the horseshoe pit viper, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats of India. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.

<i>Ovophis monticola</i> Species of snake


Ovophis monticola, commonly known as the Chinese mountain pit viper, is a venomous pitviper species found in Asia. Currently, two subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. Recent taxonomic work suggests that most of these should be considered as separate species. IUCN has already evaluated O. m. makazayazaya as Ovophis makazayazaya.

<i>Protobothrops jerdonii</i> Species of venomous snake

Protobothrops jerdonii, also known commonly as Jerdon's pitviper, the yellow-speckled pit viper, and the oriental pit viper, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to India, Nepal, Myanmar, China, and Vietnam. Three subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<i>Protobothrops mucrosquamatus</i> Species of snake

Protobothrops mucrosquamatus is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Asia. Common names include: brown-spotted pit viper, Taiwanese habu and pointed-scaled pit viper. No subspecies are currently recognized. The species was first described by Theodore Cantor in 1839.

<i>Trimeresurus albolabris</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus albolabris, the white-lipped pit viper or white-lipped tree viper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Southeast Asia.

Trimeresurus cantori, commonly known as Cantor's pit viper or Cantor's pitviper, is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the Subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Nicobar Islands of India. It was named after Theodore Edward Cantor (1809-1860), a Danish naturalist serving as a surgeon with the East India Company in Calcutta. No subspecies are recognized as being valid.

<i>Trimeresurus erythrurus</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus erythrurus, commonly known as the red-tailed bamboo pitviper, redtail bamboo pit viper, and redtail pit viper is a venomous pit viper species found in South Asia and Myanmar. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Craspedocephalus gramineus</i> Species of snake

Craspedocephalus gramineus, known as the bamboo pit viper, Indian green pit viper, or common green pit viper, is a venomous pit viper species found in the southern and north eastern parts of India. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Craspedocephalus malabaricus</i> Species of snake

Craspedocephalusmalabaricus, commonly known as Malabar pit viper, Malabar rock pit viper, or rock viper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to the high-moderate elevations of Western Ghats of southwestern India. Recently this species complex was split into three different species, Craspedocephalus malabaricus, Craspedocephalus travancoricus, Craspedocephalus anamallensis.

<i>Trimeresurus medoensis</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus medoensis, commonly named the Motuo bamboo pitviper, is a venomous pitviper species endemic to India, Burma, and Tibet. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Trimeresurus popeiorum</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus popeiorum is a species of venomous pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is native to northern and northeastern parts of India and Southeast Asia. Common names include: Pope's pit viper, Pope's green pit viper, Pope's tree viper and Pope's bamboo pitviper.

<i>Trimeresurus septentrionalis</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus septentrionalis, commonly known as the Nepal pit viper or northern white-lipped pit viper, is a venomous pit viper species found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus</span> Species of snake

Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus, the Sri Lankan pit viper, Ceylon pit viper, Sri Lankan green pitviper or locally, pala polonga, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Sri Lanka. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Protobothrops elegans</i> Species of snake

Protobothrops elegans is a venomous pitviper species endemic to Japan in the southern Ryukyu Islands. No subspecies are currently recognized. Common names include: elegant pitviper, Sakishima habu (サキシマハブ), and elegant tree viper.

<i>Craspedocephalus puniceus</i> Species of snake

Craspedocephalus puniceus is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Southeast Asia. Common names include: flat-nosed pitviper, flat-nosed pit viper, and ashy pit viper. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Trimeresurus sumatranus</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus sumatranus is a venomous pitviper species found in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Arboreal, its coloration is pale green with a red tail. Common names include Sumatran pitviper, Sumatran tree viper, and Sumatran pit viper.

Trimeresurus fasciatus is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Djampea Island, Indonesia. No subspecies are currently recognized. Common names include: banded pitviper and banded tree viper.

<i>Craspedocephalus brongersmai</i> Species of snake

Craspedocephalus brongersmai, also known commonly as Brongersma's pit viper, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to islands off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Garthius chaseni, commonly known as Chasen's mountain pit viper, Chasen's tree viper, and the Kinabalu brown pit viper, is a species of venomous pitviper in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the island of Borneo in Malaysia. No subspecies are currently recognized. It is monotypic in the genus Garthius.

References

  1. ↑ Srinivasulu, C.; Srinivasulu, B.; Deepak, V.; Shankar, G.; Das, A. (2013). "Trimeresurus macrolepis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T172623A1354137. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T172623A1354137.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  3. ↑ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  4. ↑ Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN   0-8069-6460-X.
  5. ↑ Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S. 2004. Asian Pitvipers. Geitje Books. Berlin. 1st Edition. 368 pp. ISBN   3-937975-00-4.
  6. ↑ "Trimeresurus macrolepis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Das, Indraneil. 2002. A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of India. Ralph Curtis Books. Sanibel Island, Florida. 144 pp. ISBN   0-88359-056-5. (Trimeresurus macrolepis, p. 66.)
  8. 1 2 3 4 Smith, M.A. 1943. The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III.—Serpentes. Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, Printers.) London. xii + 583 pp. (Trimeresurus macrolepis, pp. 505-506.)
  9. ↑ Boulenger. 1896. p. 560.
  10. ↑ Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S. (2004). "A phylogeny of four mitochondrial gene regions suggests a revised taxonomy for Asian pitvipers (Trimeresurus and Ovophis)" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 32 (1): 83–100. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.02.008. PMID   15186799 . Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  11. ↑ Cambell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock. Ithaca and London. 870 pp., 1500 plates. ISBN   0-8014-4141-2.

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