Protobothrops elegans
Protobothrops elegans is a venomous pitviper species endemic to Japan in the southern Ryukyu Islands.[1][3] No subspecies are currently recognized.[3][4] Common names include: elegant pitviper,[1][3][4][5] Sakishima habu (サキシマハブ),[6] and elegant tree viper.[7]
| Protobothrops elegans | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Protobothrops |
| Species: | P. elegans |
| Binomial name | |
| Protobothrops elegans (Gray, 1849) | |
| Synonyms | |
Description
Scalation includes 25 (sometimes 23) rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 179–192 (males) or 182–196 (females) ventral scales, 63–90 subcaudal scales, and 8 (sometimes 7 or 9) supralabial scales.[5]
During 1965–2011, 2447 snakebites from this snake are reported with one fatality.[8]
Geographic range
It is found in Japan in the southern Ryukyu Islands, specifically in the Yaeyama Islands.[1] The type locality is unknown. Boulenger listed it as "---- ?" while Gray's original 1849 description gives "West Coast of [North?] America." A restriction to "Ishigaki-Shima [Ryukyu Islands, Japan]" was proposed by Stejneger (1907).[2]
See also
References
- Ota, H.; Kidera, N. (2018). "Protobothrops elegans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T96265465A96265478. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T96265465A96265478.en. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
- McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- Protobothrops elegans at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 15 August 2022.
- "Trimeresurus elegans". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
- Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S. 2004. Asian Pitvipers. GeitjeBooks. Berlin. 1st Edition. 368 pp. ISBN 3-937975-00-4.
- Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
- 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.
- Seiko Matsuda. 沖縄県における平成23 年の毒蛇咬症 [2011 Venomous Snakebite in Okinawa Prefecture] (PDF) (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Institute of Health and Environment, Hygiene Science Group Eiko Maho. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-05-02. Retrieved 2013-03-11.
Further reading
- Gray, J.E. 1849. Catalogue of the Specimens of Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum. Trustees of the British Museum. London. xv + 125 pp. (Craspedocephalus elegans, p. 7.)