Atheris chlorechis

Atheris chlorechis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Viperinae
Genus: Atheris
Species: A. chlorechis
Binomial name
Atheris chlorechis
(Pel, 1851)
Synonyms
  • Vipera chlorechis Pel, 1851
  • Vipera chloroechis Schlegel, 1855
  • Vipera (Echis) chloroechis
    — Jan, 1859
  • Tox[icoa]. chloroëchis — Cope, 1860
  • Vipera chloroechis — Cope, 1862
  • E[chis]. chlorechis — Jan, 1863
  • Atheris polylepis W. Peters, 1864
  • Atheris chloroëchis
    — W. Peters, 1864
  • Atheris proximus Rochebrune, 1885
  • Atheris chlorechis Boulenger, 1896
  • Atheris chloraechis Cansdale, 1961
  • Atheris chlorechis — Broadley, 1996[1]
Common names: western bush viper,[2] West African leaf viper,[3] more.

Atheris chlorechis is a venomous viper species found only in the forests of West Africa.[2] No subspecies are currently recognized.[4]

Description

Adults average 50 cm (20 inches) in total length (body + tail), with a maximum total length of 70 cm (28 in). The tail is relatively long. The body is relatively slender, with 25-36 midbody 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 ground color, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm (about 1 in) 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.[5] 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 (9.8 in) in total length.[2][5]

Common names

Western bush viper,[2] West African leaf viper,[3] West African tree viper.[6]

Geographic range

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 (about 3–6 ft) 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 (about 5-6 inches) in total length.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 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).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
  3. 1 2 Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
  4. ↑ "Atheris chlorechis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 23 August 2006.
  5. 1 2 3 Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
  6. ↑ Brown JH. 1973. Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. ISBN 0-398-02808-7.

Further reading

  • Boulenger GA. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the...Viperidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers.) xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.- XXV. (Atheris chlorechis, pp. 508–509.)
  • Cansdale GS. 1961. West African Snakes. London: Longman's. 96 pp. ISBN 058260849X.
  • Pel HS. 1851. Over de jagt aan de Goudkust, volgens eene tienjarige eigene ondervinding. Nederlands Tijdschrift Jagtkunde 1: 149-173. (Vipera chlorechis)

External links

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