Atheris chlorechis: Difference between revisions
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{{Image|Atheris chlorechis.jpg|right|200px|''Atheris chlorechis''.}} | |||
{{Taxobox | {{Taxobox | ||
| color = pink | | color = pink | ||
| name = ''Atheris chlorechis'' | | name = ''Atheris chlorechis'' | ||
| regnum = Animalia | |||
| phylum = Chordata | |||
| regnum = | | subphylum = Vertebrata | ||
| phylum = | | classis = Reptilia | ||
| subphylum = | | ordo = Squamata | ||
| classis = | | subordo = Serpentes | ||
| ordo = | | familia = Viperidae | ||
| subordo = | |||
| familia = | |||
| subfamilia = [[Viperinae]] | | subfamilia = [[Viperinae]] | ||
| genus = ''[[Atheris]]'' | | genus = ''[[Atheris]]'' | ||
| species = '''''A. chlorechis''''' | | species = '''''A. chlorechis''''' | ||
| binomial = ''Atheris chlorechis'' | | binomial = ''Atheris chlorechis'' | ||
| binomial_authority = ( | | binomial_authority = (Pel, 1851) | ||
| synonyms = * ''Vipera chlorechis'' - Pel, 1851 | | synonyms = * ''Vipera chlorechis'' - Pel, 1851 | ||
* ''Vipera chloroechis'' - Schlegel, 1855 | * ''Vipera chloroechis'' - Schlegel, 1855 | ||
| Line 30: | Line 29: | ||
* ''Atheris chlorechis'' - Broadley, 1996<ref name="McD99">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).</ref> | * ''Atheris chlorechis'' - Broadley, 1996<ref name="McD99">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).</ref> | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''''Atheris chlorechis''''' is a venomous [[Viperinae|viper]] species found only in the forests of West Africa.<ref name="Mal03"/> No subspecies are currently recognized.<ref name="ITIS">[http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634943 ''Atheris chlorechis'' (TSN 634943)] at [http://www.itis.gov/index.html Integrated Taxonomic Information System]. Accessed 25 March 2007.</ref> | |||
'''Common names:''' western bush viper.<ref name="Mal03" | '''Common names:''' western bush viper.<ref name="Mal03"/> | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
Adults average 50 cm in length with a maximum of 70 cm. The tail is relatively long. The body is relatively slender, with 25-36 mid-body rows of [[dorsal scales]]. These are heavily keeled, with the keels ending in a swelling at the end of each scale.<ref name="Mal03">Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.</ref> | Adults average 50 cm in length with a maximum of 70 cm. The tail is relatively long. The body is relatively slender, with 25-36 mid-body rows of [[dorsal scales]]. These are heavily keeled, with the keels ending in a swelling at the end of each scale.<ref name="Mal03">Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.</ref> | ||
Adults have a uniform light green groundcolor, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm apart. The belly is pale green in color.<ref name="Mal03"/> Newborns are tan-brown in color, but this changes to a yellow-green hue with irregular dark spots within 24 hours.<ref name="SB95">Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.</ref> This second color phase has been described as the reverse of that of the adults and is only seen in individuals less than 25 cm in length.<ref name="SB95"/><ref name="Mal03"/> | Adults have a uniform light green groundcolor, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm apart. The belly is pale green in color.<ref name="Mal03"/> Newborns are tan-brown in color, but this changes to a yellow-green hue with irregular dark spots within 24 hours.<ref name="SB95">Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.</ref> This second color phase has been described as the reverse of that of the adults and is only seen in individuals less than 25 cm in length.<ref name="SB95"/><ref name="Mal03"/> | ||
==Geographic range== | ==Geographic range== | ||
Found in West Africa, including Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, isolated locations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The type locality is listed as "Boutre, Ghana."<ref name="McD99"/> | |||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| Line 53: | Line 49: | ||
Gives birth to 6-9 young in March to April. Newborns are 131-151 mm in length.<ref name="SB95"/> | Gives birth to 6-9 young in March to April. Newborns are 131-151 mm in length.<ref name="SB95"/> | ||
== | ==Attribution== | ||
{{WPAttribution}} | |||
==Cited references== | ==Cited references== | ||
< | <small> | ||
<references | <references> | ||
</references> | |||
</small> | |||
OTHER: | |||
<div class="references-small"> | <div class="references-small"> | ||
* Cansdale GS. 1961. West African Snakes. London: Longman's. 75 pp. | * Cansdale GS. 1961. West African Snakes. London: Longman's. 75 pp. | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]] | |||
[[Category: | |||
Latest revision as of 10:06, 6 October 2024
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Atheris chlorechis is a venomous viper species found only in the forests of West Africa.[2] No subspecies are currently recognized.[3]
Common names: western bush viper.[2]
Description
Adults average 50 cm in length with a maximum of 70 cm. The tail is relatively long. The body is relatively slender, with 25-36 mid-body rows of dorsal scales. These are heavily keeled, with the keels ending in a swelling at the end of each scale.[2] Adults have a uniform light green groundcolor, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm apart. The belly is pale green in color.[2] Newborns are tan-brown in color, but this changes to a yellow-green hue with irregular dark spots within 24 hours.[4] This second color phase has been described as the reverse of that of the adults and is only seen in individuals less than 25 cm in length.[4][2]
Geographic range
Found in West Africa, including Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, isolated locations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The type locality is listed as "Boutre, Ghana."[1]
Habitat
Found in forests, in dense foliage about 1-2 m above the ground.[2]
Feeding
Said to feed on rodents, lizards and tree frogs.[2]
Reproduction
Gives birth to 6-9 young in March to April. Newborns are 131-151 mm in length.[4]
Attribution
- Some content on this page may previously have appeared on Wikipedia.
Cited references
- ↑ 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).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
- ↑ Atheris chlorechis (TSN 634943) at Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed 25 March 2007.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
OTHER:
- Cansdale GS. 1961. West African Snakes. London: Longman's. 75 pp.