Species of snake
Echis hughesi, also known commonly as Hughes' carpet viper, the Somali carpet viper,[3] and Hughes' saw-scaled viper,[1][4] is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to Somalia.[1][2][4] There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.[4][5]
Etymology
The specific name, hughesi, is in honor of British herpetologist Barry Hughes.[4][6]
Description
E. hughesi grows to a total length (including tail) of about 21–32 cm (8.3–12.6 in). The head scalation is similar to that of E. pyramidum. Midbody, there are 24–25 dorsal scale rows. The ventrals number 144–149, and the subcaudals number 28–30. The color pattern varies, but generally consists of a series of pale, oblique, dorsal blotches set against a darker ground color.[3]
Geographic range
E. hughesi is found only in northern Somalia, in northern Migiurtinia, near Meledin.[1]
The type locality is listed as "Somalia, 10°02' [N lat.], 49° [E long.]".[2]
Migiurtinia was the name of a region, or gobolka, in Somalia that is currently known as Bari and occupies about 70,000 km2 (27,000 sq mi) of the tip of the Horn of Africa.[7]
Reproduction
E. hughesi is oviparous.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d Joger U (2010). "Echis hughesi ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T178258A7508706. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T178258A7508706.en. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ a b c McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ a b Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G (2003). True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
- ^ a b c d e Echis hughesi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 11 May 2021.
- ^ "Echis hughesi ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Echis hughesi, p. 127).
- ^ Regions of Somalia at Statoids.com: Administrative Divisions of Countries. Accessed 2 August 2007.
Further reading
- Cherlin VA (1990). ["A taxonomic revision of the snake genus Echis (Viperidae). II. An analysis of taxonomy and description of new forms"]. [Proceedings of the Zoological Institute of Leningrad ] 207: 193–223. (Echis hughesi, new species). (in Russian).
- Golay P, Smith HM, Broadley DG, Dixon JR, McCarthy CJ, Rage J-C, Schätti B, Toriba M (1993). Endoglyphs and Other Major Venomous Snakes of the World. A Checklist. Geneva: Azemiops. 478 pp.
- Phelps T (2010). Old World Vipers: A natural history of the Azemiopinae and Viperinae. Frankfurt am Main Germany: Edition Chimaira. 558 pp. ISBN 978-3899734706.
- Spawls S, Mazuch T, Mohammad A (2023). Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of North-east Africa. London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi, Sydney: Bloomsbury Wildlife. 640 pp. ISBN 978-1472991447.
External links
- Echis hughesi Cherlin, 1990 at Tomáš Mazuch. Accessed 24 November 2007.
