:''Common names: Hutton's pit viper.
[Brown JH (1973). ''Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes''. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. .]'' Hutton's tree viper,
[Mehrtens JM (1987). ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. .]
''Tropidolaemus huttoni'' is a little-known
species of
pit viper
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 ...
, a
venomous snake in the
subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
Crotalinae
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 ...
of the
family Viperidae. The species is
endemic to the southern
Western Ghats of
India. There are 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 ...
that are currently recognized.
Little is known about this species, as this species is known only from two young individuals, based on which it was first described in 1949. Despite long-term and targeted herpetological surveys in the particular hill range (
Meghamalai), it has never been re-sighted there or elsewhere since then.
A possible third specimen from the northern
Western Ghats is considered to be of doubtful identity at best, as it shares several features typical of ''T. wagleri'' complex as well; and its provenance is also currently unresolved.
Etymology
The
specific name Specific name may refer to:
* in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database
In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules:
* Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...
, ''huttoni'', is in honor of its discoverer,
Angus Finlay Hutton
Angus Finlay Hutton (8 April 1928 – 30 October 2016) was a British naturalist born in India. Working in the High Wavy range, he discovered a species of pit viper that is now named after him as Hutton's pit viper (''Tropidolaemus huttoni'' ). He ...
, a planter and
naturalist.
Description
The coloration and size of adults of ''T. huttoni'' is unknown.
Juveniles are green
dorsally, with a series of small white spots on both sides, located on the 2nd & 3rd scale rows from the vertebral row. There is distinct red eye streak on both sides of the head. Ventrally they are pale green, except for the last 25
subcaudals, which are dull reddish brown.
The holotype specimen is only 136 mm (5⅜ inches) in total length, 98 mm (3⅞ inches) in snout-vent length (SVL), and the tail is 38 mm (1½ inches) long.
[David, Patrick; Vogel, Gernot (1998). "Redescription of ''Trimeresurus huttoni'' SMITH, 1949 (Serpentes, Crotalinae), with a Discussion of its Relationships". ''Hamadryad'' 22 (2): 73-87. (''Tropidolaemus huttoni'', new combination).]
Geographic range
''Tropidolaemus huttoni'' is found in the
Meghamalai Hills in the southern
Western Ghats, situated in
Theni district of
Tamil Nadu, southern
India. It is known only from the
type locality, which is listed as "
High Wavy Mountains
Meghamalai (Tamil: மேகமலை), commonly known as the High Wavy Mountains, is a mountain range located in the Western Ghats in the Theni district near Kumily, Tamil Nadu. It is dotted with cardamom plantations and tea plantations. The ...
, Theni district, southern India".
According to David and Vogel (1998), this is a plateau on the western central edge of the Varushanad Hills, at 1,590 m (5,200 feet) elevation, in Theni district,
Tamil Nadu.
Biology and natural history
Little is known of the biology and natural history of ''T. huttoni''. The original description states that the two juvenile specimens were collected together, both evidently belonging to the same brood. The region was, during Hutton's days, covered by dense
tropical rainforests; but is now partly covered by
tea plantations.
References
Further reading
*Boundy J (2008). "A possible third specimen of the pitviper genus ''Tropidolaemus'' from India". ''Hamadryad'' 32 (1): 59–62.
*Chandramouli SR, Ganesh SR (2010). "Herpetofauna of Southern Western Ghats, India − reinvestigated after decade"s. ''Taprobanica'' 2 (2): 72-85.
*Ganesh SR, Bhupathy S, David P, Sathishkumar N, Srinivas G (2014). "Snake Fauna of High Wavy Mountains, Western Ghats, India: Species Richness, Status, and Distribution Pattern". ''Russian J. Herpetol.'' 21 (1): 53–64.
*Hutton AF, David P (2009). "Notes on a collection of snakes from south India, with emphasis on the snake fauna of the Megamalai Hills (High Wavy Mountains)". ''J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.'' 105: 299–316.
*
Smith MA (1949). "A new species of pit viper from South India: ''Trimeresurus huttoni'' sp. nov." ''J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.'' 48 (3): 596.
External links
*
Crotalinae
Snakes of Asia
Reptiles of India
Endemic fauna of the Western Ghats
Fauna of Tamil Nadu
Reptiles described in 1949
Taxa named by Malcolm Arthur Smith
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