Gloydius halys

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Gloydius halys
Shchitomordnik na Bol'shoi Baikal'skoi trope.jpg
On the Great Baikal Trail
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Gloydius
Species:
G. halys
Binomial name
Gloydius halys
(Pallas, 1776)
Synonyms [1]
List
  • Coluber halys
    Pallas, 1776
  • [Vipera (Echidna) Aspis] Pallasii
    Merrem, 1820
  • Trigonocephalus Halys
    — Lichtenstein In Eversmann & Lichtenstein, 1823
  • Vipera Halys
    — Lichtenstein In Eversmann & Lichtenstein, 1823
  • Trigonocephalus halys
    — F. Boie, 1827
  • Trigonocephalus [(Halys)] Halys
    — Gray, 1849
  • Halys pallasii
    — Günther, 1864
  • Ancistrodon halys
    — Boulenger, 1896
  • A[gkistrodon]. halys
    — Stejneger, 1907
  • Ancistrodon halys halys
    — Nikolsky, 1916
  • Agkistrodon halys halys
    — Mertens & L. Müller, 1928
  • Gloydius halys halys
    — Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981
Common names: Siberian pit viper, [2] Halys viper, [3] Halys pit viper, [4] more.

Gloydius halys is a pit viper species found within a wide range that stretches across Asia, from Russia, east of the Urals, eastwards through China. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominotypical form described here. [5]

Contents

Description

Gloydius halys grows to a maximum total length of 59 cm (23 in), which was for a female, with an included tail length of 68 mm (2.7 in). The largest male on record measured 53 cm (21 in) in total length, which included a tail length of 80 mm (3.1 in). The body build is described as moderately stout with a snout that is slightly upturned when viewed from the side. [2]

Dorsally, G. halys is grayish, pale brown, reddish, or yellowish, with large dark spots or crossbars, the borders of which are serrated. One or two lateral series of smaller dark spots are present. There is a wide dark stripe behind the eye, bordered by light stripes both above and below. The venter is whitish, speckled with gray or brown.

The strongly keeled dorsal scales are arranged in 23 rows at midbody. The ventrals number 149-174. The anal plate is entire. The subcaudals number 31-44, and are divided (paired). [6]

Common names

Common names for G. halys include Siberian pit viper, [2] Halys viper, [3] Halys pit viper, Pallas's pit viper, Asiatic pit viper, Asiatic moccasin, [4] shchitomordnik, [7] Pallas's viper, Pallas pit viper, Korean pit viper, Mongolian pit viper. [8]

Geographic range

Gloydius halys is found in Russia, east of the Ural Mountains through Siberia, Iran, Mongolia to northern and central China, as well as the southern Ryukyu Islands of Japan. According to Gloyd and Conant (1990), the type locality given is "Salt Lake near the Lugaskoi Sawod (factory) on the Upper Yenisey" (Siberia, Russia). Redefined by Bour (1993) as "Naryn or Ryn Peski desert, near the Russia-Kazakhstan border". [1]

Subspecies

Subspecies [5] Taxon author [5] Common name [9] Geographic range [1]
G. h. boehmei Nilson, 1983 Boehme's pitviper [10] Known only from the type locality: Andarab valley, province of Baghlan, at 2,500 m altitude, eastern Afghanistan. [9]
G. h. caraganus (Eichwald, 1831)Karaganda pitviperFrom southeastern Europe, in the Ural and Emba River valleys, and (at least formerly) in the Volga River valley, through much of Kazakhstan, including northern Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, into northwestern China. [2]
G. h. cognatus (Gloyd, 1977)Alashan pitviperNorth-central China, from eastern Qinghai across southern Gansu and possibly eastwards into Hebei and northwards into Inner Mongolia. [9]
G. h. halys(Pallas, 1776)Siberian pitviperSouthern Siberia and Mongolia, from the Zeya River west to longitude 74° E. [2]
G. h. mogoi Bour, 1993Western Mongolia. [9]

Etymology

The subspecific name, boehmei, is in honor of German herpetologist Wolfgang Böhme. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pit viper</span> Subfamily of snakes

The Crotalinae, commonly known as pit vipers, or pit adders, are a subfamily of vipers found in Asia and the Americas. Like all other vipers, they are venomous. They are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on both sides of the head. Currently, 23 genera and 155 species are recognized: These are also the only viperids found in the Americas. The groups of snakes represented here include rattlesnakes, lanceheads, and Asian pit vipers. The type genus for this subfamily is Crotalus, of which the type species is the timber rattlesnake, C. horridus.

<i>Gloydius</i> Genus of snakes

Gloydius is a genus of pit vipers endemic to Asia, also known as Asian moccasins or Asian ground pit vipers. Named after American herpetologist Howard K. Gloyd, this genus is very similar to the North American genus Agkistrodon. 24 species are currently recognized.

<i>Gloydius himalayanus</i> Species of snake

Gloydius himalayanus also known as the Himalayan pit viper or the Himalayan viper is a pit viper species found along the southern slopes of the Himalayas in Pakistan, India and Nepal. No subspecies are currently recognized. Himalayan pit vipers have been found up to 4900m above sea level, which makes it the highest living snake ever found.

<i>Hypnale</i> Genus of snakes

Hypnale is a genus of pit vipers endemic to Sri Lanka and southwestern India. Three monotypic species are currently recognized. All members have more or less upturned snouts that produce a hump-nosed effect.

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>Deinagkistrodon</i> Genus of snakes

Deinagkistrodon is a monotypic genus created for the pit viper species, Deinagkistrodon acutus, which is endemic to Southeast Asia. No subspecies are currently recognized.

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

Gloydius blomhoffii, commonly known as the mamushi, Japanese moccasin, Japanese pit viper, Qichun snake, Salmusa or Japanese mamushi, is a pit viper species found in Japan. It was once considered to have 4 subspecies, but it is now considered monotypic.

Vipera aspis hugyi is a venomous viper subspecies endemic to southern Italy.

<i>Gloydius saxatilis</i> Species of snake

Gloydius saxatilis is a venomous pitviper species endemic to Russia, China and the Korean Peninsula. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Sistrurus miliarius barbouri</i> Subspecies of snake

Sistrurus miliarius barbouri is a venomous pit viper subspecies endemic to the southeastern United States.

<i>Sistrurus miliarius streckeri</i> Subspecies of snake

Sistrurus miliarius streckeri is a venomous pit viper subspecies found in the southcentral United States.

<i>Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen</i> Subspecies of snake

Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen was formerly a venomous pit viper subspecies found in the eastern United States. However, recent taxonomic changes do not recognize the northern copperhead as a valid taxon.

<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>Gloydius intermedius</i> Species of snake

Gloydius intermedius, or Central Asian pit viper, is a venomous species of pitviper endemic to northern Asia. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

Gloydius monticola is a venomous pitviper species endemic to southern China. A small and darkly colored snake with no visible color pattern, it is found high in the mountains of northern Yunnan province. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Gloydius shedaoensis is a venomous pitviper species found only on Shedao Island in China. Although very small, this island is home to an extraordinarily large population of these snakes. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Gloydius strauchi is a species of venomous pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to western China. It is a small snake with a pattern of four longitudinal stripes, although some older specimens may be a uniform black. G. strauchi may be distinguished from G. monticola by its higher midbody dorsal scale count. This species jointly holds the altitude record for pitvipers together with Crotalus triseriatus of Mexico, both being found even above the tree line at over 4,000 m (13,000 ft). No subspecies were recognized as being valid, until a recent publication re-evaluated the taxonomic statuses of populations of G. strauchi and described the eastern Tibetan populations as a new species.

<i>Gloydius ussuriensis</i> Species of snake

Gloydius ussuriensis is a venomous pitviper species endemic to far east Russia, northeastern China and the Korean Peninsula. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Gloydius brevicauda</i> Species of snake

Gloydius brevicauda is a pit viper species endemic to China and the Korean Peninsula.

References

  1. 1 2 3 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Washington: District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Gloyd HK, Conant R (1990). Snakes of the Agkistrodon Complex: A Monographic Review. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 614 pp. 52 plates. LCCN 89-50342. ISBN   0-916984-20-6.
  3. 1 2 Gotch, Arthur Frederick (1986). Reptiles – Their Latin Names Explained. Poole, UK: Blandford Press. 176 pp. ISBN   0-7137-1704-1.
  4. 1 2 Steward JW (1971). The Snakes of Europe. Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Press (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press). 238 pp. LCCCN 77-163307. ISBN   0-8386-1023-4.
  5. 1 2 3 "Gloydius halys ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  6. ↑ Boulenger GA (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the ... Viperidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (Ancistrodon halys, pp. 524–525).
  7. ↑ Brown, John Haynes (1973). Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. ISBN   0-398-02808-7.
  8. ↑ U.S. Navy (1991). Poisonous Snakes of the World. New York: U.S. Government / Dover Publications Inc. 203 pp. ISBN   0-486-26629-X.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S (2004). Asian Pitvipers. First Edition. Berlin: Geitje Books. 368 pp. ISBN   3-937975-00-4.
  10. 1 2 Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. (Gloydius halys boehmei, p. 30).

Further reading

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