Biology:Gloydius lateralis

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Short description: Species of snake

Gloydius lateralis
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Gloydius
Species:
G. lateralis
Binomial name
Gloydius lateralis
(Zhang, Shi, Li, Yan, Wang, Ding, Du, Plenković-Moraj, Jiang, Shi, 2022)

Gloydius lateralis is a species of venomous pit viper found in the Zharu Valley of Jiuzhaigou County, China . The species is active during sunny days in hot and dry areas along roadsides. The Zharu Valley is the sole known location of G. lateralis. This snake is assumed to eat small mammals like mice, based on the fur remnants found within its droppings. This species lineage is a sister taxon to G. swild, being morphologically and phylogenetically similar.[1]

The species has a small body, large eyes (relative to the head), bilateral pits, and divided subcaudal scales. The species also has 20 to 21 rows of mid-body dorsal scales. The dorsal body is greenish to light brown and with 4 rows of zigzag dark brown patches. A continuous, regular grey-brown ventrolateral stripe runs down on each side of the body and tail.[2] The scientific name "lateralis" comes from this greyish-brown stripe G. lateralis has.[3]

References

  1. Pskhun (2022-07-26). "Species New to Science: [Herpetology • 2022 Gloydius lateralis • Exploring Cryptic Biodiversity in A World Heritage Site: A New Pitviper (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae) from Jiuzhaigou, Aba, Sichuan, China"]. http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2022/07/gloydius.html. 
  2. Zhang, Mei-Hua; Shi, Sheng-Chao; Li, Cheng; Yan, Peng; Wang, Ping; Ding, Li; Du, Jie; Plenković-Moraj, Anđelka et al. (2022-07-25). "Exploring cryptic biodiversity in a world heritage site: a new pitviper (Squamata, Viperidae, Crotalinae) from Jiuzhaigou, Aba, Sichuan, China" (in en). ZooKeys (1114): 59–76. doi:10.3897/zookeys.1114.79709. ISSN 1313-2970. PMID 36761701. https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/79709/. 
  3. Publishers, Pensoft. "New pit viper discovered in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, China" (in en). https://phys.org/news/2022-07-pit-viper-jiuzhaigou-national-nature.html. 

Wikidata ☰ Q113300212 entry