''Gloydius ussuriensis'' is a

venomous Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

pitviper The Crotalinae, commonly known as pit vipers,Mehrtens JM (1987). ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. . crotaline snakes (from grc, κρόταλον ''krotalon'' castanet), or pit adders, are a subfa ...

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to far east

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

, northeastern

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

and the

Korean Peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

. No

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are currently recognized. :''Common names:Ussuri pit viper, Ussuri mamushi. Gloyd HK, Conant R. 1990. ''Snakes of the'' Agkistrodon ''Complex: A Monographic Review''. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 614 pp. 52 plates. LCCN 89-50342. .''

Description

Adult males are 37–63 cm (14.6–24.8 inches) in total length, while adult females are 41–64.7 cm (16.1–25.5 inches). However, this information, provided by Emelianov (1929), included two males of 37 cm (14.6 in) each which may have been subadults; the next largest male was 41.8 cm (16.5 in). Based on these same data, tail length in males was 12-17% of total length, while that in females was 12-15% of total length. The scalation usually includes 21 rows of

dorsal scales In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales. Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publis ...

at midbody, all of which are keeled (although the keels on the first scale rows are faint), 146–157

ventral scales In snakes, the ventral scales or gastrosteges are the enlarged and transversely elongated scales that extend down the underside of the body from the neck to the anal scale. When counting them, the first is the anteriormost ventral scale that conta ...

, and 39–54

subcaudal scales In snakes, the subcaudal scales are the enlarged plates on the underside of the tail.Wright AH, Wright AA. 1957. Handbook of Snakes. Comstock Publishing Associates (7th printing, 1985). 1105 pp. . These scales may be either single or divided (pair ...

. There are 7

supralabial scales In reptiles, the supralabial scales, also called upper-labials, are those scales that border the mouth opening along the upper jaw. They do not include the median scaleWright AH, Wright AA. 1957. Handbook of Snakes. Comstock Publishing Associates ( ...

, with the second being the smallest and the fourth usually the largest. The color pattern consists of a light brownish gray to blackish ground color overlaid with a series of 24–33 relatively large and usually elliptical dorsolateral blotches. These blotches, which may oppose or alternate on either side of the middorsal line, are usually closed and have a pale interior with a dark smudge in the center that makes them look like a row of bull's-eyes on either side of the body. The bloches are separated laterally by one scale row, extend down to the first scale row, and may merge with blotches across the middorsal line. A dark postocular stripe is present that is bordered above by a narrow yellow or white line.

Geographic range

Found in far east Russia ( Primorskiy Kray), northeastern

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

and

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

, as well as on Quelpart Island. Chernov proposed that the type locality be restricted to "Suchan River (in Primorskiy Kray)."

Taxonomy

This species has long been confused with '' G. saxatilis'' in

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

and '' G. brevicauda'' in eastern parts of

Liaoning Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...

, where it is

sympatric In biology, two related species or populations are considered sympatric when they exist in the same geographic area and thus frequently encounter one another. An initially interbreeding population that splits into two or more distinct species sh ...

with these forms. Its variable color pattern has not helped matters either.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q2629408 ussuriensis Snakes of Asia Snakes of China Reptiles of Korea Reptiles of Russia Fauna of Siberia Reptiles described in 1929