- Hypnale walli
Taxobox
name = "Hypnale walli"
regnum =Animalia
phylum =Chordata
subphylum =Vertebrata
classis =Reptilia
ordo =Squamata
subordo =Serpentes
familia =Viperidae
subfamilia =Crotalinae
genus = "Hypnale "
species = "H. walli"
binomial = "Hypnale walli"
binomial_authority = Gloyd, 1977
synonyms = * "Ancistrodon hypnale" - Boulenger, 1896
* "Ancistrodon millardi" - Wall, 1921
* "Ancistrodon nepa" - M.A. Smith, 1943
* "Agkistrodon nepa" - Deraniyagala, 1955
* "Hypnale walli" - Gloyd, 1977McDiarmid 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).]:"Common names: Wall's hump-nosed viper.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.] ""Hypnale walli" is a venomous pitviper
species found inSri Lanka . The smallest member member of its genus, it is distinguished by having a strongly upturned nose and lower scale counts. Nosubspecies are currently recognized.ITIS|ID=634895|taxon="Hypnale walli"|year=2008|date=8 August]Description
The smallest member of the genus "
Hypnale ", the only male with a complete tail measured 30.5 cm in length with a tail of 4.3 cm (14% of total length), while the largest female was 28.3 cm in total length with a tail of 3.5 cm. The body is stoutly built.This species is distinguished from "H. hypnale" by a snout that has a strongly upturned tip. This is due to an extended
rostral scale , which is immediately followed by a raised wartlike hump covered 10 minute scales. Also, the hemipenes have clearly visible spines. It is distinguished from "H. nepa" by its lower scale counts.The scalation includes 17 rows of
dorsal scales at midbody that that usually lack keels, 7supralabial scales , 120-126ventral scales and 28-33subcaudal scales .Regarding the color pattern, Gloyd and Conant (1990) examined a number of preserved specimens, mentioning that some were so faded as to render the pattern almost invisible. One of these, however, had a faint narrow stripe down the center of its back. In general, the color pattern is described as consisting of a series of 18-24 dorsolateral small subtriangular brown blotches, pointing upwards. These are slightly darker than the ground color, except for the upper edges that may be considerably darker. A pair of dark brown blotches are present on the side of the head, along with a pair of dark stripes carving backward on the sides of the neck. The ventral surface is strongly flecked and dappled with graying brown.
Geographic range
Found in
Sri Lanka . The type locality given is "Kanneliya Forest, Udugama Southern Province, Ceylon [Sri Lanka] , elevation approximately 1,000 ft."Taxonomy
According to Gloyd and Conant (1990), the taxonomic status of this species is unclear. Although described here as a species, it may eventually be classified as a subspecies of "H. nepa", or even as the minimum extreme for "H. nepa" with regard to its low ventral and subcaudal scale counts, as well as its relatively short tail.
ee also
*
List of crotaline species and subspecies
*
*
*Snakebite References
External links
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