Protobothrops kaulbacki

Protobothrops kaulbacki, commonly known as the Kaulback's lance-headed pit viper,[4] is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Asia. No subspecies are currently recognized.[5]

Protobothrops kaulbacki
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Protobothrops
Species:
P. kaulbacki
Binomial name
Protobothrops kaulbacki
(M.A. Smith, 1940)
Synonyms
  • Trimeresurus kaulbacki
    M.A. Smith, 1940
  • P [rotobothrops]. kaulbacki
    — Kraus, Mink & W.M. Brown, 1996[2][3]

Etymology

The specific name, kaulbacki, is in honor of British explorer Ronald Kaulback.[6][7][8]

Description

Adult males of P. kaulbacki may attain a total length of 134 cm (53 in), which includes a tail 22.5 cm (8.9 in) long. Females may grow longer: maximum total length 141 cm (56 in), tail 23 cm (9.1 in).

Dorsally, it is green, with a vertebral series of dark angular spots, which may be joined to form a zigzag stripe. The top of the head is black with yellow stripes. Ventrally, except for the whitish throat area, it is gray with large squarish or crescent-shaped yellow spots.[9]

Scalation includes 25 rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 201-212 ventral scales, 66-78 subcaudal scales, and 8 supralabial scales of which the third is the largest.[4]

Geographic range

Protobothrops kaulbacki had originally been known only from the type locality, which is "Pangnamdim, north of the Triangle, Upper Burma" (Myanmar).[2] In 2005 it was reported that it is also found in China.[10] The species was reportedly also spotted in Northeast India, at Dafla Hills in Papum Pare, East Kameng and Kurung Kumey Districts, Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India.

Reproduction

Protobothrops kaulbacki is oviparous. The adult female lays a clutch of 6-32 eggs in a hole in the ground, and then remains with the eggs to guard them. Eggs measure 48–53 mm x 26–27 mm (about 2 in x 1 in). Each hatchling is 26–27 cm (about 10½ inches) in total length.[9]

References
  1. Guo, P.; Li, P.; Rao, D.-q. (2012). "Protobothrops kaulbacki". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T178685A1541636. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T178685A1541636.en. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  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. "Protobothrops kaulbacki ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  4. Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S (2004). Asian Pit vipers. Berlin: Geitje Books. First Edition. 368 pp. ISBN 3-937975-00-4.
  5. "Protobothrops kaulbacki ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
  6. Smith MA (1940).
  7. Guo, Peng (2007). "New evidence on the phylogenetic position of the poorly known Asian pitviper Protobothrops kaulbacki (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae) with a redescription of the species and a revision of the genus Protobothrops ". Herpetological Journal 17 (4): 237-246.
  8. 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. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, p. 138).
  9. Smith MA (1943). The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III.—Serpentes. London: Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 583 pp. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, p. 512).
  10. Rao D, Zhao E (2005). "A New Record from China – Protobothrops kaulbacki (Reptilia, Serpentes, Viperidae)". Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 30: 209-211.

Further reading
  • Kraus, Fred; Mink, Daniel G.; Brown, Wesley M. (1996). "Crotaline Intergeneric Relationships Based on Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Data". Copeia 1996 (4): 763–773. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, new combination).
  • Smith MA (1940). "The Amphibians and Reptiles obtained by Mr. Ronald Kaulback in Upper Burma". Records of the Indian Museum 42: 465–486. (Protobothrops kaulbacki, new species, p. 485, Plate VIII, Figure 5).


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