Atheris chlorechis

Taxobox
name = "Atheris chlorechis"

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regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
familia = Viperidae
subfamilia = Viperinae
genus = "Atheris"
species = "A. chlorechis"
binomial = "Atheris chlorechis"
binomial_authority = (Pel, 1851)
synonyms = * "Vipera chlorechis" - Pel, 1851
* "Vipera chloroechis" - Schlegel, 1855
* "Vipera" ("Echis") "chloroechis" - Jan, 1859
* "Tox" ["icoa"] . "chloroëchis" - Cope, 1860
* "Vipera chloroechis" - Cope, 1862
* "E" ["chis"] . "chlorechis" - Jan, 1863
* "Atheris polylepis" - Peters, 1864
* "Atheris chloroëchis" - Peters, 1864
* "Atheris proximus" - Rochebrune, 1885
* "Atheris chlorechis" - Boulenger, 1896
* "Atheris chloraechis" - Cansdale, 1981
* "Atheris chlorechis" - Broadley, 1996McDiarmid 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).] :"Common names: western bush viper,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.] West African leaf viper,Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.] more.""Atheris chlorechis" is a venomous viper species found only in the forests of West Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.ITIS|ID=634943|taxon="Atheris chlorechis"|year=2006|date=23 August]

Description

. These are heavily keeled, with the keels ending in a swelling at the end of each scale.Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.]

Adults have a uniform light green groundcolor, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm apart. The belly is pale green in color. Newborns are tan-brown in color, but this changes to a yellow-green hue with irregular dark spots within 24 hours.Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.] This second color phase has been described as the reverse of that of the adults and is only seen in individuals less than 25 cm in length.

Common names

Western bush viper, West African leaf viper, West African tree viper.Brown JH. 1973. Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. ISBN 0-398-02808-7.]

Geographic range

West Africa including Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, isolated locations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The type locality is listed as "Boutre, Ghana."

Habitat

Found in forests, in dense foliage about 1-2 m above the ground.

Feeding

Said to feed on rodents, lizards and tree frogs.

Reproduction

Gives birth to 6-9 young in March to April. Newborns are 131-151 mm in length.

ee also

* List of viperine species and subspecies
*
*
* Snakebite

References

Further reading

* Cansdale GS. 1961. West African Snakes. London: Longman's. 75 pp.

External links

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* Accessed 27 September 2006.