Adenorhinos

The Uzungwe Viper ( barbouri Atheris, synonym: Adenorhinos barbouri ) is a species of snake of the genus Atheris within the vipers ( Viperidae ). The range of this Viper is restricted to the mountain ranges of the Uzungwe and Ukinga Mountains in southern Tanzania in Africa.

Features

The Uzungwe Viper is a small species, reaching only about 40 inches total length. The basic color is brown to black-brown with a pair of dorsolateral verlaufendem zigzag bands that start at the head and extend to the tail. Individually, these form a band of darker and irregularly shaped diamonds on the back side. The tail may have a fine black speckling, the ventral side is colored green to olive green.

The head is broad and triangular and dropped off at the neck heavily by the body. The muzzle is short and rounded. The head is covered with small, strongly keeled scales and the eyes are very large. They reach a diameter which corresponds approximately to 1.5 times the distance between the eye and mouth opening. The nostrils are clearly directed forward and lie on an undivided nasals, which is adjacent to the Voraugenschild ( Präoculare ).

The body is relatively slender and elongated, and the tail compared to the bush vipers of the genus Atheris relatively short and not designed as a prehensile tail. The dorsal scales are strongly keeled and arranged in the middle of the body in 20 to 23 rows; only you outermost row consists of smooth scales. The belly is covered with 116-122 Ventralia, this is followed by an undivided anal and 19 to 23 undivided Subcaudalia to.

Distribution and habitat

The known distribution area of ​​Unzungwe Viper is only very small. The snake is known only from the mountains of the Uzungwe and Ukinga Mountains in southern Tanzania today, the Terra typica is Dabaga in the Uzungwe Mountains, near Iringa at an altitude of about 1,830 meters above sea level.

The Viper lives differently than the adapted to the tree of life in the bush vipers terrestrial forests and grasslands forests in mountain ranges over 1,800 meters. Preference is given to moist forests, the snake but was also found in tea plantations.

Way of life

Very little is known about the life of Uzungwe Viper. Originally an underground way of life was adopted, but what the snake has no anatomical adaptations. As a food source probably serve mainly snails, earthworms and other soil animals weichhäutige. They may also hunt for frogs.

The species is oviparous ( oviparous ). In February 1930 three females were caught, which fought out every 10 eggs, the largest egg had a size of 1.0 x 0.6 cm.

Systematics and history of research

Within the Real vipers ( Viperinae ) the Uzungwe Viper was the only species of the genus Adenorhinos with the bush vipers ( Atheris ), the East African mountain viper ( Montatheris Hind ) is the only species of the genus Montatheris and the swamp viper ( Proatheris superciliaris ) is the only species of the genus Proatheris to a monophyletic taxon Atherini summarized. The Uzungwe Viper is after the DNA findings of Lenk et al. 2001, despite morphological differences, however, the sister species of the Usambara bush viper ( Atheris ceratophora ) within the bush vipers. Accordingly, the Uzungwe Viper is now being reallocated to the bush vipers and the genus Adenorhinos discarded.

Poison

About the venom of the snake nothing is known. Neither the composition nor the effect or Bißunfälle have been documented. This is probably mainly due to the very rare encounter between humans and this snake.

Swell

Cited sources

The information in this article originate for the most part the limits given in literature sources, the following additional sources are used and cited: