- Ophryacus melanurus
-
Ophryacus melanurus Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Viperidae Subfamily: Crotalinae Genus: Ophryacus Species: O. melanurus Binomial name Ophryacus melanurus
(Müller, 1924)Synonyms - Trimeresurus melanurus - Müller, 1924
- Bothrops melanura - Amaral, 1930
- Trimeresurus garciai - H.M. Smith, 1940
- Trimeresurus garciae - Taylor, 1944
- Bothrops melanurus - Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981
- Porthidium melanurum - Campbell & Lamar, 1989
- Ophryacus melanurus - Gutberlet, 1998[1]
- Common names: black-tailed horned pitviper.[2]
Ophryacus melanurus is a venomous pitviper species found in the mountains of southern Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized.[3]
Contents
Description
Adults grow to between 37.5 and 50 cm in length and have a moderately stout build.[2]
Geographic range
Found in the mountains of southern Mexico (southern Puebla and Oaxaca at elevations of 1600–2400 m). The type locality given is "Mexico."[1]
Conservation status
This species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the following criteria: B1ab(iii) (v3.1, 2001).[4] A species is listed as such when the best available evidence indicates that the geographic range, in the form of extent of occurrence, is estimated to be less than 5,000 km², that estimates indicate it to be severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than 5 locations, and that a continuing decline has been observed, inferred or projected, in area, extent and/or quality of habitat. It is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. In 2007 when it was last assessed, the population trend was down.[5]
Behavior
Terrestrial.[2]
See also
- List of crotaline species and subspecies
- Crotalinae by common name
- Crotalinae by taxonomic synonyms
- Snakebite
References
- ^ a b 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).
- ^ a b c Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. 2 volumes. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.
- ^ "Ophryacus melanurus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=586175. Retrieved 27 July 2008.
- ^ Ophryacus melanurus at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 27 July 2008.
- ^ 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 27 July 2008.
External links
- Ophryacus melanurus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 27 July 2008.
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