Trimeresurus medoensis explained

Trimeresurus medoensis, commonly named the Motuo bamboo pitviper,^[1] is a venomous pitviper species endemic to India, Burma, and Tibet. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Description

Maximum total length for males is 671mm; for females, 650mm. Maximum tail length for males is 125mm; for females, 115mm.^[2]

The hemipenes are short, thick, and spinose.^[2]

Scalation: dorsal scales in 17 longitudinal rows at midbody, of which rows 7-11 are slightly keeled. There are 8 upper labials, of which the first are separated from the nasal scales by a distinct suture. The ventrals number less than 150.^[2]

Color pattern: green or bluish green above, yellowish white below, the two separated by a bright bicolored red (below) and white (above) ventrolateral stripe (in both males and females), which occupies the whole of the outermost scale row and a portion of the second row.^[2]

Geographic range

Found in North-Eastern India; northern Burma (Myanmar); and southeastern Xizang (Tibet), China. The type locality listed is "near A-ni Bridge, Medo Xian, Xizang [Tibet], alt. 1,200 m [3,900 ft]" [Autonomous Region, China].

Further reading

• David, Patrick; and Tong, Haiyan. 1997. Translations of Recent Descriptions of Chinese Pitvipers of the Trimeresurus-Complex (Serpentes, Viperidae), with a Key to the Complex in China and Adjacent Areas. Smithsonian Herpetological Information Service (112): 1-31.
• David, Patrick; Ashok Captain; and Bharat B. Bhatt. 2002 [2001]. On the occurrence of Trimeresurus medoensis Djao in: Djao & Jaing, 1977 (Serpentes, Viperidae, Crotalinae) in India, with a redescription of the species and notes on its biology. Hamadryad 26 (2): 210-226.
• Djao, Er-mie

and Jiang, Yao-ming. 1977. A survey of reptiles in Xizang Autonomous Region, with faunal analysis and descriptions of new forms. Acta Zoologica Sinica 23: 64-67.

Notes and References

1. Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S. 2004. Asian Pitvipers. Geitje Books. Berlin. 1st Edition. 368 pp. .
2. Leviton AE, Wogan GOU, Koo MS, Zug GR, Lucas RS, Vindum JV. 2003. The Dangerously Venomous Snakes of Burma, Illustrated Checklist with Keys. Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 54 (24): 407-462.