Atheris nitschei rungweensis

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This article is about Rungwe tree viper. For other uses of the term Tree , please see Tree (disambiguation).
Atheris nitschei rungweensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Viperinae
Genus: Atheris
Species: A. nitschei
Subspecies: A. n. rungweensis
Trinomial name
Atheris nitschei rungweensis
Bogert, 1940
Synonyms
  • Atheris nitschei rungweensis - Bogert, 1940[1]

Common names: Rungwe tree viper,[2][3] Rungwe bush viper.[4]  
 
Atheris nitschei rungweensis is a venomous viper subspecies[5] found in Africa in Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi.[2]

Description

Grows to a maximum length of 65 cm. Midbody, it has 22-33 dorsal scale rows. The ventral scales number 150-165 and the subcaudals 46-58.[3]

Geographic range

Scattered locations from south-west Tanzania to north-east Zambia and south to the Nyika Plateau in north Malawi.[2] The type locality is listed as "Rungwe Mountains, Tanganyika Territory."[1]

Habitat

Found in low bushes along streams and at the edges of mountain forests at altitudes of 800-2,000 m.[3][4] Occasionally encountered in moist savannah, woodland and hill forest habitats.[6]

See also

Cited references

  1. 1.0 1.1 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Species Atheris rungweensis at the Species2000 Database
  5. Atheris nitschei rungweensis (TSN 635231) at Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed 26 March 2007.
  6. Spawls S, Howell K, Drewes R, Ashe J. 2004. A Field Guide To The Reptiles Of East Africa. A & C Black Publishers Ltd., London. 543 pp. ISBN 0-7136-6817-2.

External links