- Echis ocellatus
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Echis ocellatus Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Viperidae Subfamily: Viperinae Genus: Echis Species: E. ocellatus Binomial name Echis ocellatus
Stemmler, 1970Synonyms - Echis carinatus ocellatus - Stemmler, 1970
- Echis ocellatus - Hughes, 1976
- Echis [(Toxicoa)] ocellatus - Cherlin, 1990[1]
Echis ocellatus is a venomous viper species found mainly in West Africa. Named after the distinctive series of "eye-spots" that run the length of its body.[3] No subspecies are currently recognized.[5]
Contents
Description
The maximum length is 65 cm, possibly more, while the average length is 30-50 cm.[3]
Geographic range
Found in West Africa from Mauritania, Senegal and Guinea, through, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, southern Niger and Nigeria. Also found in northern Cameroon and southwestern Chad. the type locality is described as "Haute Volta, Garango, 048 N, 033 W" (Burkina Faso).[1]
There are also reports of single specimens found in the Bangui in the Central African Republic, and in central Sudan. Rarely found north of the 15th parallel, after which E. leucogaster becomes more common. Its range extends to the coast via the Dahomey Gap.[3]
Reproduction
Lays between 6 and 20 eggs, usually at the end of the dry season in February to March. Hatchlings are 10-12 cm in length.
See also
- List of viperine species and subspecies
- Viperinae by common name
- Viperinae 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).
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c d Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
- ^ Echis coloratus at Munich AntiVenom INdex. Accessed 3 August 2007.
- ^ "Echis ocellatus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634973. Retrieved 2 August 2006.
External links
- Echis ocellatus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 3 August 2007.
- Echis ocellatus Stemmler, 1970 at Tomáš Mazuch. Accessed 24 November 2007.
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