Species of Thailand
Himalayan mountain pit viper
Ovophis monticola
(Albert Charles Lewis Günther, 1864)
In Thai: งูหางแฮ่มภูเขา, ngu hang haem phukhao
Ovophis monticola, commonly known as the Chinese mountain pit viper, is a venomous pitviper species found in Asia. Currently, two subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. Recent taxonomic work suggests that most of these should be considered as separate species. IUCN has already evaluated O. m. makazayazaya as Ovophis makazayazaya.
Description
Total length of males 49 cm, of females 110 cm; tail length of males 8 cm, of females 15 cm.
The head has a short snout, a little more than twice the length of the diameter of the eye. The crown is covered by small scales rather than large shields, while the scales are usually smooth, feebly imbricate. The first upper labial is not fused to the nasal and is completely separated by a suture. The supraoculars are large, 5-9 scales in a line between them. The internasals are usually not in contact with one another, separated by 2 small suprapostrostral scales. There are 7-10 upper labials, the second of which is usually fused to the scale bordering the facial sensory pit anteriorly. The fourth and fifth upper labials are beneath the eye, but separated from orbit by a series of 2-4 small scales.
The body is stout. The dorsal scales are smooth or weakly keeled, in 23-25, occasionally in 19 or 21 longitudinal rows at midbody. Ventral scales and subcaudals (Myanmar, northeastern India and adjacent areas of China and Thailand) 137-176 and 36-62 respectively, subcaudals mixed paired and single, occasionally all unpaired (ventrals and subcaudals for southern China, Vietnam, Laos: 127-144 and 36-54, and Malaysian Peninsula: 133-137 and 22-28 respectively ).
Common names
Mountain pitviper, mountain viper, Chinese pit viper, spotted pit viper, Arisan habu, Chinese mountain pit viper. Bengali name: পাহাড়ী বোড়া.
Geographic range
Found in Asia in Nepal, India (Assam, Sikkim, Mizoram, Nagaland), Bangladesh (already stated on the subspecies table), Myanmar, China (Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet), Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, West Malaysia and Indonesia (Sumatra). The type locality is described as "Sikkim" (India).
Subspecies
| Subspecies | Taxon author | Common name | Geographic range |
|---|---|---|---|
| O. m. monticola | (Günther, 1864) | Mountain pitviper | Bangladesh (Chittagong Hill Tracts), China (Sichuan, Tibet Autonomous Region, Yunnan, India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and West Bengal), Myanmar (Chin, Kachin and Shan) and Nepal. |
| O. m. makazayazaya | (Takahashi, 1922) | Taiwanese mountain pitviper | Taiwan (Majia, Pingtung, Chiayi Alishan), China (Southeast), Vietnam |
| O. m. zhaokentangi | Zhao, 1995 | Gaoligong mountain pitviper | Goaligong Shan, north of Pianma, Lushui County, Yunnan Province, China. |
Venom
Little is known about the venom of this species but it is presumed to contain hemorrhagins and procoagulants. There has been one recorded fatality from the bite of this species.
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Scientific classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Suborder
- Serpentes
- Family
- Viperidae
- Genus
- Ovophis
- Species
- Ovophis monticola
Common names
- German: Berg-Grubenotter
- English:
- Chinese mountain pit viper
- Mountain pit viper
- Thai: งูหางแฮ่มภูเขา, ngu hang haem phukhao
Subspecies
Ovophis monticola convictus, Ferdinand Stoliczka, 1870
Common name: Indo-Malayan mountain pitviper
Range: Indonesia (Sumatra), West Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam as far north as the central Annam Mountains.
Ovophis monticola meridionalis, Alphonse Richard Hoge & Sylvia A. R. W. Romano-Hoge, 1981
Range: Cambodia, Laos, West Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam
Ovophis monticola monticola, Albert Charles Lewis Günther, 1864
Common name: Mountain pitviper
Range: Bangladesh (Chittagong Hill Tracts), China (Sichuan, Tibet Autonomous Region, Yunnan, India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and West Bengal), Myanmar (Chin, Kachin and Shan) and Nepal.
Ovophis monticola orientalis, Schmidt, 1925
Common name: Oriental mountain pitviper
Range: China (Fukien, Chekiang), Hong Kong
Ovophis monticola zayuensis, Yao-Ming Jiang, 1977
Common name: Zayuan mountain pitviper
Range: China, Tibet Autonomous Region: in Zayü and Mêdog counties at 1, 800-2, 200 m (5, 900-7, 200 feet) elevation.
Ovophis monticola zhaokentangi, Er-Mi Zhao, 1995
Common name: Gaoligong mountain pitviper
Range: Goaligong Shan, north of Pianma, Lushui County, Yunnan Province, China.
vophis monticola makazayazaya, Seiichi Takahashi, 1922
Common name: Taiwan mountain pitviper
Range: Taiwan: Chuchuku, Arishan, Makazayazaya and Taipei.
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN3.1)
Photos
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Range Map
- Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai
- Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai
- Doi Ang Khang
- Doi Inthanon National Park
- Doi Phu Kha National Park
- Doi Suthep - Pui National Park
- Fang District, Chiang Mai
- Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary
- Huai Nam Dang National Park
- Kaeng Krachan National Park
- Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai
- Mae Sariang District, Mae Hong Son
- Mae Sot District, Tak
- Mueang Pan District, Lampang
- Phop Phra District, Tak
- Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park
- Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary
- Phu Soi Dao National Park
- Phu Suan Sai National Park
- Suan Phueng District, Ratchaburi
- Thong Pha Phum National Park
- Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary
- Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary