Atheris nitschei: Difference between revisions

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imported>Aleksander Stos
imported>Jaap Winius
(Removed red links and other minor edits. Replaced ITIS links.)
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| color = pink
| color = pink
| name = ''Atheris nitschei''
| name = ''Atheris nitschei''
| image = Atheris-nitschei-1.jpg
| regnum = Animalia
| image_caption =
| phylum = Chordata
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| subphylum = Vertebrata
| phylum = [[Chordata]]
| classis = Reptilia
| subphylum = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]
| ordo = Squamata
| classis = [[Reptile|Reptilia]]
| ordo = [[Squamata]]
| subordo = [[Snake|Serpentes]]
| subordo = [[Snake|Serpentes]]
| familia = [[Viperidae]]
| familia = Viperidae
| subfamilia = [[Viperinae]]
| subfamilia = [[Viperinae]]
| genus = ''[[Atheris]]''
| genus = ''[[Atheris]]''
| species = '''''A. nitschei'''''
| species = '''''A. nitschei'''''
| binomial = ''Atheris nitschei''
| binomial = ''Atheris nitschei''
| binomial_authority = [[G. Tornier|Tornier]], [[1902]]
| binomial_authority = Tornier, 1902
| synonyms = * ''Atheris nitschei'' - Tornier, 1902
| synonyms = * ''Atheris nitschei'' - Tornier, 1902
* ''Atheris woosnami'' - Boulenger, 1906
* ''Atheris woosnami'' - Boulenger, 1906
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}}
}}


'''Common names:''' Great Lakes bush viper, Nitsche's bush viper,<ref name="SB95">Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.</ref><ref name="Mal03">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.</ref><ref name="WOA">World of Atheris: [http://www.kingsnake.com/atheris/nitschei.html Atheris nitschei] at [http://www.kingsnake.com/ kingsnake.com]</ref> sedge viper,<ref name="WOA"/> [[Atheris nitschei#Common names|more]].
'''Common names:''' Great Lakes bush viper, Nitsche's bush viper,<ref name="SB95">Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.</ref><ref name="Mal03">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.</ref><ref name="WOA">[http://www.kingsnake.com/atheris/nitschei.html ''Atheris nitschei''] at [http://www.kingsnake.com/atheris/index.html World of Atheris]. Accessed 26 March 2007.</ref> sedge viper,<ref name="WOA"/> [[Atheris nitschei#Common names|more]].
 
&nbsp;<br/>
 
&nbsp;<br/>
'''''Atheris nitschei''''' is a [[venomous snake|venomous]] [[Viperinae|viper]] [[species]] found in [[Africa]] from [[Uganda]] and adjacent [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|DR Congo]] in the north to northern [[Malawi]] in the south. Two subspecies is currently recognized, with the typical form described here.<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS|ID=634947|taxon=Atheris nitschei|year=2006|date=17 July}}</ref>
'''''Atheris nitschei''''' is a venomous [[Viperinae|viper]] species found in Africa from Uganda and adjacent DR Congo in the north to northern Malawi in the south. Two subspecies is currently recognized, with the typical form described here.<ref name="ITIS">[http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634947 ''Atheris nitschei'' (TSN 634947)] at [http://www.itis.gov/index.html Integrated Taxonomic Information System]. Accessed 26 March 2007.</ref>


==Description==
==Description==
A relatively large and stout bush viper, growing to an average length of 63 cm and a maximum of at least 73 cm. The males are smaller than the females.
A relatively large and stout bush viper, growing to an average length of 63 cm and a maximum of at least 73 cm. The males are smaller than the females.
[[Image:Atheris-nitschei-3.jpg|left|thumb|240px|''A. nitschei'']]
 
==Common names==
==Common names==
Great Lakes bush viper, Nitsche's bush viper,<ref name="SB95"/><ref name="Mal03"/><ref name="WOA"/> sedge viper,<ref name="WOA"/> black and green bush viper.<ref name="Meh87">Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.</ref>
Great Lakes bush viper, Nitsche's bush viper,<ref name="SB95"/><ref name="Mal03"/><ref name="WOA"/> sedge viper,<ref name="WOA"/> black and green bush viper.<ref name="Meh87">Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.</ref>


==Geographic range==
==Geographic range==
[[Central Africa]] from east [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|DR Congo]], [[Uganda]] and west [[Tanzania]] southward to north [[Malawi]] and north [[Zambia]]. The [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] is listed as "Mpororosumpf, Deutch-Ost-Afrika" [Mpororo swamp, Tanzania-Rwanda border].<ref name="McD99"/>
Found in Central Africa from east DR Congo, Uganda and west Tanzania, southward to north Malawi and north Zambia. The type locality is listed as "Mpororosumpf, Deutch-Ost-Afrika" [Mpororo swamp, Tanzania-Rwanda border].<ref name="McD99"/>


==Habitat==
==Habitat==
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|-
|-
|''A. n. nitsche''
|''A. n. nitsche''
|[[G. Tornier|Tornier]], [[1902]]
|Tornier, 1902
|Great Lakes bush viper
|Great Lakes bush viper
|style="width:40%"|[[Uganda]], north-west [[Tanzania]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|DR Congo]] ([[Kivu|Kivo]] and [[Katanga Province|Shaba]] Provinces)
|style="width:40%"|Uganda, north-west Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo (Kivo and Shaba Provinces).
|-
|-
|''[[Atheris nitschei rungweensis|A. n. rungweensis]]''
|''[[Atheris nitschei rungweensis|A. n. rungweensis]]''
|Bogert, [[1940]]
|Bogert, 1940
|Rungwe tree viper
|Rungwe tree viper
|Scattered locations from south-west Tanzania to north-east [[Zambia]] and south to the [[Nyika Plateau]] in north [[Malawi]]
|Scattered locations from south-west Tanzania to north-east Zambia and south to the Nyika Plateau in north Malawi.
|-
|-
|}
|}
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== External links ==
== External links ==
 
* {{EMBL species|genus=Atheris|species=nitschei}}.
* {{EMBL species|genus=Atheris|species=nitschei}}
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeVb_E2XqiM Video of ''Atheris nitschei''] YouTube, accessed 29 October 2006.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeVb_E2XqiM Video of ''Atheris nitschei''] YouTube, accessed 29 October 2006.


[[Category:True vipers]]
[[Category:True vipers]]
[[Category:CZ Live]]
[[Category:Biology Workgroup]]
[[Category:Biology Workgroup]]

Revision as of 14:33, 26 March 2007

Atheris nitschei
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Viperinae
Genus: Atheris
Species: A. nitschei
Binomial name
Atheris nitschei
Tornier, 1902
Synonyms
  • Atheris nitschei - Tornier, 1902
  • Atheris woosnami - Boulenger, 1906
  • Atheris nitschei - Boulenger, 1915
  • Atheris nitschei nitschei - Bogert, 1940
  • [Atheris] nitschei - Broadley, 1996[1]

Common names: Great Lakes bush viper, Nitsche's bush viper,[2][3][4] sedge viper,[4] more.  
 
Atheris nitschei is a venomous viper species found in Africa from Uganda and adjacent DR Congo in the north to northern Malawi in the south. Two subspecies is currently recognized, with the typical form described here.[5]

Description

A relatively large and stout bush viper, growing to an average length of 63 cm and a maximum of at least 73 cm. The males are smaller than the females.

Common names

Great Lakes bush viper, Nitsche's bush viper,[2][3][4] sedge viper,[4] black and green bush viper.[6]

Geographic range

Found in Central Africa from east DR Congo, Uganda and west Tanzania, southward to north Malawi and north Zambia. The type locality is listed as "Mpororosumpf, Deutch-Ost-Afrika" [Mpororo swamp, Tanzania-Rwanda border].[1]

Habitat

Found in wetland and meadow areas, and elephant grass marshes, along small streams, sometimes in scrub and bush in valleys at higher elevations, and in mountain forests up to the bamboo zone at 1600-2800 m altitude. Common in papyrus reed around small lakes.[3]

Subspecies

Subspecies[1] Authority[1] Common name[2] Geographic range[2]
A. n. nitsche Tornier, 1902 Great Lakes bush viper Uganda, north-west Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo (Kivo and Shaba Provinces).
A. n. rungweensis Bogert, 1940 Rungwe tree viper Scattered locations from south-west Tanzania to north-east Zambia and south to the Nyika Plateau in north Malawi.

See also

Cited references

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 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 2.2 2.3 Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 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.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Atheris nitschei at World of Atheris. Accessed 26 March 2007.
  5. Atheris nitschei (TSN 634947) at Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed 26 March 2007.
  6. Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.

External links