Protobothrops kaulbacki

Protobothrops kaulbacki
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Protobothrops
Species:	P. kaulbacki
Binomial name
Protobothrops kaulbacki (M.A. Smith, 1940)
Synonyms
Trimeresurus kaulbacki M.A. Smith, 1940 P [rotobothrops]. kaulbacki — Kraus, Mink & W.M. Brown, 1996 [2] [3]

Protobothrops kaulbacki, commonly known as Kaulback's lance-headed pit viper ^[3] or Kaulback's lance-headed pit viper, ^{[1] [4]} is a pit viper species endemic to Asia. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid. ^{[3] [5]}

Etymology

The specific name, kaulbacki, is in honor of British explorer Ronald Kaulback. ^{[3] [6] [7] [8]}

Description

Adult males of P. kaulbacki may attain a total length of 134 cm (53 in), which includes a tail 22.5 cm (8.9 in) long. Females may grow longer: maximum total length 141 cm (56 in), tail 23 cm (9.1 in). Dorsally, it is green, with a vertebral series of dark angular spots, which may be joined to form a zigzag stripe. The top of the head is black with yellow stripes. Ventrally, except for the whitish throat area, it is gray with large squarish or crescent-shaped yellow spots. ^[9] Scalation includes 25 rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 201–212 ventral scales, 66–78 subcaudal scales, and 8 supralabial scales of which the third is the largest. ^[4]

Geographic range

P. kaulbacki had originally been known only from the type locality, which is "Pangnamdim, north of the Triangle, Upper Burma" (Myanmar). ^[2] In 2005 it was reported also from Tibet (China). ^{[1] [10]} It also occurs in Arunachal Pradesh (NE India). ^[3]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of P. kaulbacki are forest, shrubland, and grassland, at altitudes of 1,015–1,066 m (3,330–3,497 ft). ^[1]

Reproduction

P. kaulbacki is oviparous. The adult female lays a clutch of 6–32 eggs in a hole in the ground, and then remains with the eggs to guard them. Eggs measure 48–53 mm x 26–27 mm (about 2 in x 1 in). Each hatchling is 26–27 cm (about 10½ inches) in total length. ^[9]

Behavior

P. kaulbacki is terrestrial ^[1] and partly arboreal. ^[11]

References

1. Guo, P.; Li, P.; Rao, D.-q. (2012). "Protobothrops kaulbacki ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012 e.T178685A1541636. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T178685A1541636.en . Retrieved 23 August 2021.
2. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).
3. Protobothrops kaulbacki at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 23 August 2021.
4. Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S (2004). Asian Pit vipers. Berlin: Geitje Books. First Edition. 368 pp. ISBN   3-937975-00-4.
5. "Protobothrops kaulbacki ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 23 August 2021.
6. Smith MA (1940).
7. Guo, Peng (2007). "New evidence on the phylogenetic position of the poorly known Asian pitviper Protobothrops kaulbacki (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae) with a redescription of the species and a revision of the genus Protobothrops ". Herpetological Journal17 (4): 237–246.
8. 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. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, p. 138).
9. Smith MA (1943). The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III.—Serpentes. London: Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 583 pp. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, p. 512).
10. Rao D, Zhao E (2005). "A New Record from China – Protobothrops kaulbacki (Reptilia, Serpentes, Viperidae)". Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica30: 209-211.
11. Harrington, Sean M.; de Haan, Jordyn M.; Shapiro, Lindsey; Ruane, Sara (2018). "Habits and characteristics of arboreal snakes worldwide: arboreality constrains body size but does not affect lineage diversification". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society125 (1): 61–71.

Further reading

• Kraus, Fred; Mink, Daniel G.; Brown, Wesley M. (1996). "Crotaline Intergeneric Relationships Based on Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Data". Copeia1996 (4): 763–773. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, new combination).
• Smith MA (1940). "The Amphibians and Reptiles obtained by Mr. Ronald Kaulback in Upper Burma". Records of the Indian Museum42: 465–486. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, new species, p. 485, Plate VIII, Figure 5).