Trimeresurus popeiorum

Trimeresurus popeiorum
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Trimeresurus
Species:	T. popeiorum
Binomial name
	Trimeresurus popeiorum; M.A. Smith, 1937
Synonyms
	Trimesurus elegans (part) ; — Gray, 1853; Trimeresurus gramineus (part) ; — C. Pope & S. Pope, 1933; Trimeresurus popeiorum [sic]; M.A. Smith, 1937; Trimeresurus popeorum [sic]; M.A. Smith, 1943; Trimeresurus popeorum; — Taylor & Elbel, 1958; Trimeresurus popeorum popeorum; — Regenass & Kramer, 1981; Trimeresurus popeorum popeorum; — Golay et al., 1993; Popeia popeiorum; — Malhotra & Thorpe, 2004; Trimeresurus popeiorum; — David et al., 2009; Trimeresurus (Popeia) popeiorum; — David et al., 2011;

Last updated September 24, 2022

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.^[1]^[3] Common names include: Pope's pit viper, Pope's green pit viper, Pope's tree viper and Pope's bamboo pitviper.^[1]^[3]^[4]

Description

Trimeresurus popeiorum may grow to a total length of 770 mm (30 in), which includes a tail length 170 mm (6.7 in).^[5]

Above green, below pale green to whitish, the two separated by a bright bicolored orange or brown (below) and white (above) (males) or white (females) ventrolateral stripe, which occupies the whole of the outermost scale row and a portion of the second row.^[5]

Dorsal scales in 21 (rarely 23) longitudinal rows at midbody; 9–11 upper labials, first upper labials separated from nasals by a distinct suture; a single supraocular. Ventrals 155–169; subcaudals 52–76, in males the base of the tail enlarged to the level of subcaudals 20–25; hemipenes long and slender, smooth, without spines.^[5]

This species is most often confused with T. s. stejnegeri (q.v.); the two have quite distinct hemipenes, which does not make identification of individuals in the field or in the laboratory any easier without recourse to (a) male individuals and (b) an examination of the hemipenes. However, the two species are not known to have overlapping distributions, at least based on available materials. Also, closely allied to T. popeiorum is Trimeresurus yunnanensis (q.v.); ordinarily, the two are more easily told apart by the number of midbody dorsal scale rows, 21 in T. popeiorum, 19 in T. yunnanensis.^[5]

Adult male Trimeresurus popeiorum

Geographic range

Trimeresurus popeiorum is found in Northeastern India (Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjiling), northern Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. It probably also occurs in Nepal and Yunnan (China), but there are no reliable records from those areas.^[1]

The type locality, designated by lectotype, is listed as "Khasi Hills, Assam" (India).^[2]

Taxonomy and etymology

The specific name, popeiorum (Latin, genitive, plural), is in honor of two American herpetologists, Clifford H. Pope and Sarah H. Pope, his wife.^[6]

There are differences in opinion as to the correct spelling of the specific epithet. The following is from David and Vogel (1996):^[3]^[7]

This species was named in honour to Clifford H. Pope and Sarah H. Pope. The original spelling of the specific epithet, popeiorum, was corrected into popeorum by Smith (1943:518) on the basis that it was indeed a clerical error. Unfortunately, according to the Art. 32 (c, ii) of the Code (ICZN, 1985), such a change does not fall into the category of a “correction of an incorrect original spelling." According to the Art. 33 (d), the use of a termination -orum in a subsequent spelling of a species-group name that is a genitive based upon a personal name in which the correct original spelling terminates with -iorum, is an incorrect subsequent spelling, even if the change is deliberate. The original spelling, popeiorum, must therefore be conserved.

Habitat

Trimeresurus popeiorum is found in forests of mountainous regions.^[8]

Behavior

Trimeresurus popeiorum is nocturnal and arboreal. If threatened, it will vibrate its tail.^[8]

Diet

Trimeresurus popeiorum preys upon frogs, lizards, birds, and rodents (especially rats and squirrels).^[8]

Reproduction

This species, T. popeiorum, is viviparous. In India, sexually mature females give birth in April and May, and the average clutch size is 10. The hatchlings are about 180 mm (7.1 in) long.^[8]

Venom

Trimeresurus popeiorum possesses a potent hemotoxic venom which is dangerous to humans.^[8]

Related Research Articles

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

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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.

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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.

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

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

Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus is a venomous pit viper species native to India, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. Common names include: mangrove pit viper, mangrove viper, and shore pit viper.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 malcolmi is a venomous pitviper species found in East Malaysia. Common names include: Malcolm's pitviper, Malcolm's tree viper, and Mt. Kinabalu 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.

Trimeresurus tibetanus, commonly known as the Tibetan bamboo pit viper, is a venomous pit viper species found only in Tibet. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Trimeresurus gracilis, commonly known as the Taiwan pit viper or Taiwan mountain pitviper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Taiwan. No subspecies are currently recognized. The species is known as kikushi habu in Japanese.

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.

Trimeresurus insularis is a venomous pit viper species found in eastern Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia.

References

1 2 3 4 Wogan, G.; Chan-Ard, T. (2022) [amended version of 2012 assessment]. "Trimeresurus popeiorum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T192243A217770326. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T192243A217770326.en . Retrieved 18 September 2022.
1 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).^{[ page needed ]}
1 2 3 Trimeresurus popeiorum at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 18 September 2022.
↑ Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL [ fr ], Captain A, Ryabov S (2004). Asian Pitvipers. First Edition. Berlin: Geitje Books. 368 pp. ISBN 3-937975-00-4.^{[ page needed ]}
1 2 3 4 Leviton, Alan E.; Wogan, G.; Koo, M.; Zug, George R.; Lucas, R.; Vindum, J. (2003). "The dangerously venomous snakes of Myanmar. Illustrated key and checklist". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 54 (24): 407–462. hdl: 10088/4542 .
↑ 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. (Trimeresurus popeiorum, p. 209).
↑ David P, Vogel G (1996). The Snakes of Sumatra: An annotated checklist and key with natural history notes. Frankfurt am Main: Edition Chimaira. 259 pp. ISBN 3-930612-08-9.^{[ page needed ]}
1 2 3 4 5 Tan, Choo; Tan, Kae; Ng, Tzu; Quah, Evan; Ismail, Ahmad; Khomvilai, Sumana; Sitprija, Visith; Tan, Nget (6 February 2019). "Venomics of Trimeresurus (Popeia) nebularis, the Cameron Highlands Pit Viper from Malaysia: Insights into Venom Proteome, Toxicity and Neutralization of Antivenom". Toxins. 11 (2): 95. doi: 10.3390/toxins11020095 . OCLC 8080820858. PMC 6410072 . PMID 30736335.