| Ophryacus smaragdinus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Ophryacus |
| Species: | O. smaragdinus |
| Binomial name | |
| Ophryacus smaragdinus Grünwald, Jones, Franz-Chávez & Ahumada-Carrillo, 2015 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Ophryacus smaragdinus is a pit viper species endemic to the mountains of eastern Mexico. [1] No subspecies are currently recognized. [2] [3]
The specific name Ophyracus is derived from the Greek language word ophrys (ὀφρύς), which means "brow" or "eyebrow", and the Latin word acus, which means "needle", an allusion to the characteristic horn-like scales over the eyes; smaragdinus (or "emerald-green" in English) is the Latinization of the Latin noun smaragdus, which itself derives from the earlier Greek noun σμάραγδος, meaning emerald, i.e., a sharp horned toad with an emerald-green colored body. [4]
Adults grow to between 450 and 500 millimetres (17+3⁄4 and 19+5⁄8 inches) in length. No rattle. Supraocular horn is not in immediate contact with the eye. On lateral surfaces of head, a distinctive white, cream, or pale yellow triangular marking is present. Head wide with a rounded blunt snout. There are 3–5 canthals present between the nasals and the supraocular scales. There are 1–4 keeled postrostral internasals. Loreal pit is divided. Ventrals 155–166, 3–5 postoculars, 3–5 suboculars, subcaudals 39–46, 7–9 supralabials and dorsal scale rows are 21-21-17. [4]
Body emerald or olive green, which gives the common name. Sometimes it can be brown or tan. On dorsal surface, there are 37–46 dark blotches, which are outlined in black. In mid dorsal region, these dorsal blotches are broken to form an undulating dark stripe. Juveniles are grey in color. Tail which is 12 to 15 in the total body length, contains 5–12 pale bands. Head contains black spots and markings. A dark black-outlined postocular stripe is present. [4]
It is found in east-central Hidalgo, west-central Veracruz, northeastern Puebla, and north-central Oaxaca. [5] Habitats include montane cloud forest, humid pine-oak woodland and pine forest with secondary vegetation. [4]
Terrestrial and less arboreal. [4]
Cerastes cerastes, commonly known as the Saharan horned viper or the desert horned viper, is a venomous species of viper native to the deserts of Northern Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula and Levant. It is often easily recognized by the presence of a pair of supraocular "horns", although hornless individuals do occur. Three subspecies have been described.
Trimeresurus stejnegeri is a species of venomous pit viper endemic to Asia. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Bothriechis lateralis is a pit viper species found in the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Ophryacus is a genus of pit vipers endemic to Mexico. The name is derived from the Greek word ophrys (ὀφρύς), which means "brow", and the Latin word acus, which means "needle", an allusion to the characteristic horn-like scales over the eyes. Currently, three species are recognized and no subspecies.
Vipera ammodytes, commonly known as horned viper, long-nosed viper, nose-horned viper, and sand viper, is a species of viper found in southern Europe, mainly northern Italy, the Balkans, and parts of Asia Minor. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. It is reputed to be the most dangerous of the European vipers due to its large size, long fangs and high venom toxicity. The specific name, ammodytes, is derived from the Greek words ammos, meaning "sand", and dutes, meaning "burrower" or "diver", despite its preference for rocky habitats. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Crotalus oreganus, commonly known as the Western rattlesnake or northern Pacific rattlesnake, is a venomous pit viper species found in western North America from the Baja California Peninsula to the southern interior of British Columbia.
Bothriechis nigroviridis is a pit viper species found in the mountains of Costa Rica and Panama. No subspecies are currently recognized. The specific name is derived from the Latin niger (black) and viridis (green) in reference to its distinctive color pattern.
Tropidolaemus philippensis is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae, the pit vipers. It is endemic to western Mindanao and some portions of western Leyte, the Philippines. Its common name is South Philippine temple pit viper.
Bothriechis bicolor is a pit viper species found in southern Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. The specific name refers to the contrasting ventral and dorsal colors. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Bothriechis aurifer is a pit viper species found in Mexico and Guatemala. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Ovophis okinavensis, commonly known as the hime habu (ヒメハブ), Ryukyu Island pit viper, and the Okinawan pitviper, is a venomous pitviper species found in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Ophryacus undulatus is a venomous pitviper species found in the mountains of central and southern Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized.
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 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.
Gloydius ussuriensis is a venomous pitviper species endemic to far east Russia, northeastern China and the Korean Peninsula. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Gloydius brevicauda is a venomous pitviper species endemic to China and the Korean Peninsula.
Bothrops medusa is a venomous pitviper species endemic to Venezuela. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Bothriechis thalassinus, also known as Merendon palm-pitviper or Merendon palm pit viper, is a pit viper species native to Guatemala and Honduras.
Ophryacus sphenophrys is a venomous pitviper species endemic to the mountains of eastern Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized.