Echis hughesi

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Echis hughesi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Viperinae
Genus: Echis
Species: E. hughesi
Binomial name
Echis hughesi
Cherlin, 1990
Synonyms
  • Echis [(Toxicoa)] hughesi - Cerlin, 1990
  • Echis hughesi - Golay et al., 1993[1]

Common names: Hughes' carpet viper, Somali carpet viper,[2] Hughes' saw-scaled viper.[3]  
 
Echis hughesi is a venomous viper species found in only in Somalia.[1] No subspecies are currently recognized.[4]

Description

Grows to about 21-32 cm in length. The head scalation is similar to that of E. pyramidum. Midbody, there are 24-25 dorsal scales. The ventrals number 144-149 and the subcaudals 28-30. The color pattern varies, but generally consists of a series of pale, oblique, dorsal blotches set against a darker ground color.[2]

Geographic range

Found only in northern Somalia, in northern Migiurtinia, near Meledin. The type locality is listed as "Somalia, 10o02' [N lat.], 49o [E long.]."[1] Migiurtinia was the name of a region, or gobolka, in Somalia that is currently known as Bari and occupies about 70.000 km2 of the tip of the Horn of Africa.[5]

See also

Cited references

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 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 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.
  3. Species Echis Hughesi at the Species2000 Database
  4. Echis hughesi (TSN 634969) at Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed 11 April 2007.
  5. Regions of Somalia at Statoids.com: Administrative Divisions of Countries