Macrovipera lebetina obtusa

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Macrovipera lebetina obtusa
Juvenile specimen from Iraq.
Juvenile specimen from Iraq.
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. obtusa
Trinomial name
Macrovipera lebetina obtusa
(Dwigubsky, 1832)
Synonyms
  • Vipera obtusa - Dwigubski, 1832
  • Vipera lebetina obtusa - Terent'ev & Chernov, 1940
  • Vipera lebetina obtusa - Minton, 1968
  • Daboia (Daboia) lebetina obtusa - Obst, 1983
  • Daboia lebetina obtusa - Engelmann et al, 1985
  • Macrovipera l[ebetina]. obtusa - Golay et al., 1993[1]

Common names: (none).


Macrovipera lebetina obtusa is a venomous viper subspecies[2] found between central Turkey and northern Pakistan (Kashmir).

Description

Distinguished by its higher scale counts -- usually 170-175 ventrals and 25 (sometimes 27) midbody dorsal scales -- and relatively dark color pattern.[3]

Geographic range

From central Turkey through Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, northern Jordan, the Caucasus region (incl. Armenia), Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Iran, southern Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India (Kashmir). According to Khan (1983), M. lebetina is restricted to the western highlands in Pakistan; it is allopatric with Daboia russelii, which occurs in the Indus River valley.[3]

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 obtusa (TSN 635244). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 10 August 2006.
  3. 3.0 3.1 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.

Other references

  • Golay P, Smith HM, Broadley DG, Dixon JR, McCarthy. Golray P, Schatti J-C, Toriba M. 1993. Endoglyphs and Other Major Venomous Snakes of the World: A Checklist. New York: Springer-Verlag. 393 pp.

External links

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