Скачать или смотреть "ATHERIS genus of vipers: Known as BUSH VIPERS." Part 2

Atheris is a genus of vipers known as bush vipers.[2] They are found only in tropical subsaharan Africa (excluding southern Africa)[1] and many species have isolated and fragmented distributions due to their confinement to rain forests.[3] Like all other vipers, they are venomous. In an example of convergent evolution, they show many similarities to the arboreal pit vipers of Asia and South America.[2] Seventeen species are currently recognized.[4]

AtherisAtheris hispidaScientific classificationDomain:EukaryotaKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:ReptiliaOrder:SquamataSuborder:SerpentesFamily:ViperidaeSubfamily:ViperinaeGenus:Atheris
Cope, 1862Synonyms

Chloroechis Bonaparte, 1849

Atheris Cope, 1862

Poecilostolus Günther, 1863[1]

Description

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They are relatively small in size, with adults ranging in total length (body + tail) from 55 cm (22 in) for A. katangensis to a maximum of 78 cm (31 in) for A. squamigera.[2]

All species have a broad, triangular head that is distinct from the neck. The canthus is also distinct and the snout is broad. The crown is covered with small imbricate or smooth scales, none of which is enlarged. The eyes are relatively large with elliptical pupils. The eyes are separated from the supralabials by 1–3 scale rows and from the nasal by 2–3 scales.[3]

The body is slender, tapering, and slightly compressed. The dorsal scales are overlapping, strongly keeled and have apical pits. Laterally these are smaller than the middorsals. Midbody there are 14–36 rows of dorsal scales. There are 133–175 rounded ventral scales. The subcaudal scales are single and number 38–67.[2][3] The tail is strongly prehensile and can support the body while suspended from a branch or a twig.[5]

Members of this genus come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, often within a single species. A. ceratophora and A. squamigera are particularly variable.[6

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