Macrovipera lebetina transmediterranea

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Macrovipera lebetina transmediterranea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Viperinae
Genus: Macrovipera
Species: M. lebetina
Subspecies: M. l. transmediterranea
Trinomial name
Macrovipera lebetina transmediterranea
(Nilson & Andrén, 1988)
Synonyms
  • Vipera lebetina transmediterranea - Nilson & Andrén, 1988
  • Macrovipera lebetina transmediterranea - Spawls & Branch, 1995[1]

Common names: (none).


Macrovipera lebetina transmediterranea is a venomous viper subspecies[2] found only in Algeria and Tunis.

Description

This subspecies is not known to exceed 1 m in length. It it further distinguished by having only 25 midbody dorsal scale rows, a lower ventral scale count of 150-164 scales and more fragmented head scales. The color pattern is light gray with 34-41 transverse bars that are each 2-3 scales wide.[3]

Geographic range

North Africa: restricted to the coastal mountains of Algeria and Tunis.[4] One of the few specific localities where they are know to occur is Djebel Murdjaro near Oran in western Algeria.[3] This subspecies may be sympatric with M. deserti and/or M. mauritanica.[4]

See also

Cited references

  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. Macrovipera lebetina transmediterranea (TSN 635246). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 10 August 2006.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
  4. 4.0 4.1 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.

External links