Bothrocophias
| Bothrocophias | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Subfamily: | Crotalinae |
| Genus: | Bothrocophias Gutberlet & Campbell, 2001 |
Bothrocophias is a genus of venomous snakes in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The genus is endemic to northern South America.[1]
Taxonomy
Bothrocophias is a relatively recently identified genus that consists of four[2] to six[1] species, most of which were traditionally placed in Bothrops.
Oviparity
Recent evidence published by Campbell and Lamar (1989, 2004) suggests that Bothrocophias colombianus may lay eggs rather than give birth to live young. This would make it almost unique among New World pitvipers (but not Asian species). The only other American pitvipers known to lay eggs are the four species of bushmaster (Lachesis).
Species
The following six species are recognized as being valid.[1]
- Bothrocophias andianus (Amaral, 1923) – Bolivia and Peru
- Bothrocophias campbelli (Freire-Lascano, 1991) – Ecuador.
- Bothrocophias colombianus (Rendahl & Vestergren, 1940) – Colombia
- Bothrocophias hyoprora (Amaral, 1935) – Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia.
- Bothrocophias microphthalmus (Cope, 1876) – Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia.
- Bothrocophias myersi Gutberlet & Campbell, 2001 – Colombia.
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Bothrocophias.
References
- 1 2 3 Bothrocophias. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ↑ Bothrocophias . ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2010 Annual Checklist. Consulted: 2010-08-15.
Further reading
- Campbell JA, Lamar WW (1989). The Venomous Reptiles of Latin America. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Associates. 440 pp. ISBN 978-0801420597.
- Gutberlet RL, Campbell JA (2001). "Generic Recognition for a Neglected Lineage of South Amnerican Pitvipers (Squamata: Viperidae: Crotalinae), with the Description of a New Species from the Colombian Chocó ". American Museum Novitates (3316): 1-15. (Bothrocophias, new genus, p. 4). (Bothrocophias myersi, new species, p. 7).
External links
 |
Wikispecies has information related to: Bothrocophias |
- Bothrocophias at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 12 December 2007.