Gloydius monticola is a venomous pitviper species endemic to southern China. A small and darkly colored snake with no visible color pattern, it is found high in the mountains of northern Yunnan province. No subspecies are currently recognized.[5]
| Gloydius monticola | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Gloydius |
| Species: | G. monticola
|
| Binomial name | |
| Gloydius monticola (F. Werner, 1922)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Description
editGloyd and Conant (1990) state that the only male they examined was 37.4 cm (14.7 in) long with a 5.4 cm (2.1 in) tail. The largest female was 49.8 cm (19.6 in) in length with a tail of 5.9 cm (2.3 in). The body is relatively slender, although adult females are more stout. The snout is rounded, while the head is not markedly wider than the neck.[3]
Scalation includes 6 supralabial scales, 19 rows of keeled dorsal scales at midbody, 140 ventral scales, a single anal scale, and 32 paired subcaudal scales.[3]
The coloration consists of a black, dark brown, or dark gray ground color, with almost no discernible pattern. Exceptions to this rule may have labial scales with a whitish border along the line of the mouth, a few whitish subcaudal scales at the tail tip, or a faint hint of a dorsal pattern.[3]
Geographic range
editFound in southern China in the mountains of northern Yunnan[2] at elevations of 3,600–4,000 m (11,800–13,100 ft)[3] The type locality given is "Yao-Schan bei Lidjiang, NW-Yünnan, 3600 m." [Yaoshan, near Lijiang, northwestern Yunnan, China, 3,600 m (11,800 ft)].[2]
References
edit- ^ Li, P.; Rao, D.-q.; Guo, P. (2012). "Gloydius monticola". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T192093A2038837. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T192093A2038837.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b c 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).
- ^ a b c d e Gloyd HK, Conant R. 1990. Snakes of the Agkistrodon Complex: A Monographic Review. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 614 pp. 52 plates. LCCN 89-50342. ISBN 0-916984-20-6.
- ^ Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S. 2004. Asian Pitvipers. GeitjeBooks. Berlin. 1st Edition. 368 pp. ISBN 3-937975-00-4.
- ^ "Gloydius monticola". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
Further reading
edit- Werner, F. 1922. Neue Reptilien aus Süd-China, gesammelt von Dr. H. Handel-Mazzetti. Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien. Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Klasse 59 (24-25): 220–222. ("Ancistrodon blomhoffi monticola subsp. n.", p. 222.)
External links
edit- Gloydius monticola at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 9 August 2008.