Protobothrops kaulbacki
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox
Protobothrops kaulbacki, commonly known as Kaulback's lance-headed pit viper[1] or Kaulback's lance-headed pit viper,[2][3] is a pit viper species endemic to Asia. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.[1][4]
Etymology
The specific name, kaulbacki, is in honor of British explorer Ronald Kaulback.[1][5][6][7]
Description
Adult males of P. kaulbacki may attain a total length of Script error: No such module "convert"., which includes a tail Script error: No such module "convert". long. Females may grow longer: maximum total length Script error: No such module "convert"., tail Script error: No such module "convert".. Dorsally, it is green, with a vertebral series of dark angular spots, which may be joined to form a zigzag stripe. The top of the head is black with yellow stripes. Ventrally, except for the whitish throat area, it is gray with large squarish or crescent-shaped yellow spots.[8] Scalation includes 25 rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 201–212 ventral scales, 66–78 subcaudal scales, and 8 supralabial scales of which the third is the largest.[3]
Geographic range
P. kaulbacki had originally been known only from the type locality, which is "Pangnamdim, north of the Triangle, Upper Burma" (Myanmar).[9] In 2005 it was reported also from Tibet (China).[2][10] It also occurs in Arunachal Pradesh (NE India).[1]
Habitat
The preferred natural habitats of P. kaulbacki are forest, shrubland, and grassland, at altitudes of Template:Cvt.[2]
Reproduction
P. kaulbacki is oviparous. The adult female lays a clutch of 6–32 eggs in a hole in the ground, and then remains with the eggs to guard them. Eggs measure 48–53 mm x 26–27 mm (about 2 in x 1 in). Each hatchling is 26–27 cm (about 10½ inches) in total length.[8]
Behavior
P. kaulbacki is terrestrial[2] and partly arboreal.[11]
References
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- ↑ a b c d Protobothrops kaulbacki at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 23 August 2021.
- ↑ a b c d Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
- ↑ a b Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S (2004). Asian Pit vipers. Berlin: Geitje Books. First Edition. 368 pp. Template:ISBN.
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- ↑ Smith MA (1940).
- ↑ Guo, Peng (2007). "New evidence on the phylogenetic position of the poorly known Asian pitviper Protobothrops kaulbacki (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae) with a redescription of the species and a revision of the genus Protobothrops ". Herpetological Journal 17 (4): 237–246.
- ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. Template:ISBN. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, p. 138).
- ↑ a b Smith MA (1943). The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III.—Serpentes. London: Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 583 pp. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, p. 512).
- ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
- ↑ Rao D, Zhao E (2005). "A New Record from China – Protobothrops kaulbacki (Reptilia, Serpentes, Viperidae)". Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 30: 209-211.
- ↑ Harrington, Sean M.; de Haan, Jordyn M.; Shapiro, Lindsey; Ruane, Sara (2018). "Habits and characteristics of arboreal snakes worldwide: arboreality constrains body size but does not affect lineage diversification". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 125 (1): 61–71.
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Further reading
- Kraus, Fred; Mink, Daniel G.; Brown, Wesley M. (1996). "Crotaline Intergeneric Relationships Based on Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Data". Copeia 1996 (4): 763–773. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, new combination).
- Smith MA (1940). "The Amphibians and Reptiles obtained by Mr. Ronald Kaulback in Upper Burma". Records of the Indian Museum 42: 465–486. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, new species, p. 485, Plate VIII, Figure 5).