Protobothrops mangshanensis

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Protobothrops mangshanensis
Protobothrops mangshanensis mang pitviper LA zoo top.jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Protobothrops
Species:
P. mangshanensis
Binomial name
Protobothrops mangshanensis
(Zhao, 1990)
Synonyms
  • Trimeresurus mangshanensis
    Zhao In Zhao & Chen, 1990
  • Ermia mangshanensis
    — Zhang, 1993
  • Trimeresurus mangshanensis
    — McDiarmid, Campbell & Touré, 1999 [3]
  • Zhaoermia mangshanensis
    — Gumprecht & Tillack, 2004
    (nomen novum)
  • Protobothrops mangshanensis
    — Guo et al., 2007
  • Protobothrops mangshanensis
    — Orlov et al., 2009 [4]

Protobothrops mangshanensis, commonly known as the Mangshan pit viper, [1] Mt. Mang pit viper, or Mang Mountain pit viper, [4] [5] [6] is a pit viper species endemic to Hunan and Guangdong provinces in China. [1] [3] No subspecies are currently recognized. [4] [5] This is a nocturnal pit viper that is also known as the ''Mangshan iron-head snake'', ''Chinese pit viper'', and the ''Ironhead viper''. They eat frogs, birds, insects, and small mammals. They have a white tail tip that they wiggle to mimic a grub so that prey comes into striking range—a behaviour known as caudal luring. The venom causes blood clotting and corrodes muscle tissue and can be fatal to humans if not treated. Unusually for vipers, P. mangshanensis is oviparous with the female laying clutches of 13–21 eggs which she will guard until they hatch. [7]

Contents

Closeup Trimeresurus mangshanensis (2).jpg
Closeup

Description

The species reaches an adult weight of 3–5 kilograms (6.6–11.0 lb) and a length of up to 203 centimetres (6.66 ft). [8]

It is sometimes claimed that P. mangshanensis "spits" venom, in a manner similar to spitting cobras, but this has been disproven. [9]

Geographic range

The species is known from the type locality: "Pingkeng, Mangshan (Mt. Mang), Yizhang County, Hunan", [3] as well as from Ruyuan Yao Autonomous County in Guangdong province, both in southern China. [1]

Conservation status

This species is listed as "Endangered" by the IUCN on the basis that this species has an extent of occurrence and area of occupancy both unlikely to exceed 300 km2 (120 sq mi), it is known from two locations at risk from harvesting for the international pet trade and as a local delicacy, and there is a continuing decline in the number of mature individuals. [1]

Habitat

Trimeresurus mangshanensis.jpg

This pitviper is found in mountainous regions in southern Hunan and northern Guangdong at elevations of 800–1,300 m (2,600–4,300 ft) above sea level. [1] Although first discovered in the Mt. Mang mountain range, it is also found in surrounding areas, primarily in subtropical montane forest with thick vegetation and cover. It is often found lying along lichen-covered logs and other structures along animal trails to ambush prey, and can also be found in the numerous limestone caves in the region. Winter temperatures in the region come close to freezing, whilst summer temperatures can reach 30 °C (86 °F) or higher.

Taxonomy

This species was originally described in the genus Trimeresurus . A new genus, Ermia, named in honor of Chinese herpetologist Zhao Ermi, was erected for the species in 1993. [10] However, by coincidence, this generic name was already in use for a genus of locusts. The new generic name Zhaoermia was therefore proposed as a replacement name for Ermia. [11] More recently, Guo et al. (2007) [12] transferred the species to the genus Protobothrops, based on evidence T. mangshanensis is phylogenetically nested within the existing species of that genus. The species is therefore currently known as Protobothrops mangshanensis.

See also

Related Research Articles

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


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

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

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

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

Trimeresurus stejnegeri is a species of venomous pit viper endemic to Asia. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

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

Protobothrops cornutus, commonly known as the horned pit viper or Fan-Si-Pan horned pit viper, is a pit viper species found in northern and central Vietnam and in southern China (Guangdong). No subspecies are currently recognized.

Protobothrops jerdonii bourreti, commonly known as Bourret's pitviper, is a subspecies of venomous pit viper in the family Viperidae. The subspecies is endemic to Vietnam.

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

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

Trimeresurus kanburiensis is a species of pit viper found in only a few areas of Thailand. Common names include: Kanburi pitviper, Kanburian pit viper, and tiger pit viper. Highly venomous, it is an arboreal but heavily built species with a brown or tawny coloration. No subspecies are currently recognized.

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

Trimeresurus sumatranus is a species of venomous pitviper found in the tropical forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Arboreal by nature, its coloration is pale to neon-green, with some black vertical markings, and a red-tipped tail. As with other vipers, this species has prominent, “keeled” scales, which appear somewhat raised and give the snake a rough-textured appearance. Common names include Sumatran pitviper, Sumatran tree viper, and Sumatran pit viper.

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

Protobothrops xiangchengensis, commonly known as the Szechwan pit viper, Kham Plateau pit viper, or Sichuan lancehead, is a pit viper species endemic to the Hengduan Mountains in south-central China. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Protobothrops kaulbacki, commonly known as Kaulback's lance-headed pit viper or Kaulback's lance-headed pit viper, is a pit viper species endemic to Asia. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.

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

Trimeresurus macrops is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Southeast Asia. No subspecies are currently recognized. Common names include large-eyed pitviper, green pit viper, and Kramer's pit viper.

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

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

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Zhou, Z. (2012). "Protobothrops mangshanensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012: e.T192140A2046130. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T192140A2046130.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 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).
  4. 1 2 3 Protobothrops mangshanensis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 23 August 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Protobothrops mangshanensis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ O'Shea, Mark. The book of snakes : a life-size guide to six hundred species from around the world. ISBN   978-1-78240-559-7. OCLC   1019611756.
  8. ↑ "Mangshan Pit Viper". Archived from the original on 2018-11-11. Retrieved 2018-12-13.
  9. ↑ "Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens | Pit Viper, Mangshan".
  10. ↑ Zhang F.-J. (1993), Division of the genus Trimeresurus (sensu lato) (Serpentes: Viperidae), based on the morphology of their skulls,” in: E.-M. Zhao, B.-H. Chen, and T. J. Papenfuss (eds.), Proc. of the First Asian Herpetol. Meeting, Huangshan, China. Forestry Press. Beijing. pp. 48 – 57.
  11. ↑ Gumprecht A, Tillack F. 2004. Proposal for a replacement name of the snake genus Ermia Zhang, 1993. Russ. J. Herpetol. 11 (1): 73-76.
  12. ↑ Guo, P., A. Malhotra, P.P. Li, C.E. Pook & S. Creer (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 Journal 17: 237-246.

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