Atractaspis boulengeri, also known commonly as Boulenger's mole viper, the Central African burrowing asp, and simply the mole viper, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Atractaspidinae of the family Lamprophiidae.[2] The species is endemic to Africa.[3] There are six recognized subspecies.
| Atractaspis boulengeri | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Atractaspididae |
| Genus: | Atractaspis |
| Species: | A. boulengeri
|
| Binomial name | |
| Atractaspis boulengeri Mocquard, 1897
| |
Geographic range
editA. boulengeri is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gabon.[4]
Habitat
editThe preferred natural habitats of A. boulengeri are forest and freshwater wetlands, at altitudes of 10–1,000 m (33–3,281 ft).[1]
Reproduction
editSubspecies
editThe following six subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized as being valid.[4]
- Atractaspis boulengeri boulengeri Mocquard, 1897
- Atractaspis boulengeri matschiensis F. Werner, 1897
- Atractaspis boulengeri mixta Laurent, 1945
- Atractaspis boulengeri schmidti Laurent, 1945
- Atractaspis boulengeri schultzei Sternfeld, 1917
- Atractaspis boulengeri vanderborghti Laurent, 1956
Etymology
editThe specific epithet, boulengeri, is in honor of Belgian-British herpetologist George Albert Boulenger.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Kusamba C, Zassi-Boulou A-G, Chirio L, LeBreton M, Gonwouo NL (2021). "Atractaspis boulengeri ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T20878098A20878102.en. Downloaded on 19 September 2021.
- ^ "Atractaspis ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
- ^ Spawls S, Branch B (1995). The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Dubai: Oriental Press. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
- ^ a b c Species Atractaspis boulengeri at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Atractaspis boulengeri, p. 34).
Further reading
edit- Laurent RF (1945). "Contribution a la connaissance du Genre Atractaspis A. Smith ". Revue de zoologie et botanique africaines 38: 312–343. (Atractaspis boulengeri mixta, new subspecies; A. b. schmidti, new subspecies). (in French).
- Laurent RF (1956). "Contribution à l'herpétologie de la région des Grandes Lacs de l'Afrique centrale ". Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge 48: 1–390. (Atractaspis boulengeri vanderborghti, new subspecies). (in French).
- Mocquard F (1897). "Sur une collection de Reptiles recueillis par M. Haug, à Lambaréné ". Bulletin de la Société Philomathique de Paris, Huitième Série [Eighth Series] 9: 5-20. (Atractaspis boulengeri, new species, pp. 16–17). (in French).
- Sternfeld R (1917). "Reptilia und Amphibia ". pp. 407–510. In: Schubotz JH (1917). Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Zweiten Deutschen Zentral-Afrika-Expedition, 1910–1911 unter Führung Adolph Friedrichs, Herzog zu Mecklenburg. Band I. Zoologie. Leipzig: Klinkhardt & Biermann. 579 pp. (Atractaspis schultzei, new species, pp. 489–490). (in German).
- Werner F (1897). "Ueber Reptilien und Batrachier aus Togoland, Kamerun und Tunis aus dem kgl. Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin ". Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 47: 395–407 + Plate II. (Atractaspis matschiensis, new species, p. 404 + Plate II, figures 1a, 1b). (in German).
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