Echis hughesi

Echis hughesi is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to Somalia.[2] There are no subspecies which are currently recognized as being valid.[5]

Echis hughesi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Echis
Species:
E. hughesi
Binomial name
Echis hughesi
Cherlin, 1990
Synonyms[2]
  • Echis [(Toxicoa)] hughesi
    Cherlin, 1990
  • Echis hughesi
    — Golay et al., 1993
Common names: Hughes' carpet viper, Somali carpet viper,[3] Hughes' saw-scaled viper.[4]

Etymology

The specific name, hughesi, is in honor of British herpetologist Barry Hughes.[6]

Description

Echis 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

Echis hughesi is found only in northern Somalia, in northern Migiurtinia, near Meledin.

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]

References
  1. Joger U (2010). "Echis hughesi ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ 2018-1. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. http://oldredlist.iucnredlist.org/details/178258/0
  2. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T (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).
  3. 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.
  4. Echis hughesi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 August 2007.
  5. "Echis hughesi ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  6. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Echis hughesi, p. 127).
  7. 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"]. [Proc. Zool. Inst. 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.
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