Mount Bulgar viper
The Mount Bulgar viper (Montivipera bulgardaghica), also called the Bulgardagh viper[4] is a viper species endemic to the mountains of southern Turkey.[4] Like all other vipers, it is venomous. No subspecies are currently recognized.[5]
| Mount Bulgar viper | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Montivipera |
| Species: | M. bulgardaghica |
| Binomial name | |
| Montivipera bulgardaghica Nilson & Andrén, 1985 | |
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Synonyms[2]
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Description
It grows to a maximum total length (body + tail) of about 78 cm (31 in).[4]
Geographic range
It is found in the Bulgar Dagh (Bolkar Dagi) mountains, Nigde Province, south central Anatolia, Turkey.
The type locality given is "Cilician Taurus (Kar Boghaz, Bulgar Dagh, 2500 m) province Nigde" (= Karbogaz, Bolkar dagi Ulukişla, 8,200 ft), south central Anatolia, Turkey.[2]
Conservation status
This species is classified as Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1]
It is also listed as a protected species (Appendix III) under the Berne Convention.[6]
Taxonomy
This species was considered by Golay et al. (1993) to be a subspecies of M. xanthina,[2] and was subsequently moved to the genus Montivipera by Nilson et al. (1999), who considered it to be a synonym of Montivipera xanthina.[3]
References
- Montivipera bulgardaghica at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 2 September 2007.
- McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
- "Montivipera bulgardaghica". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 17 August 2006.
- Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Appendix III at Council of Europe. Accessed 9 October 2006.
Further reading
- Golay P, Smith HM, Broadley DG, Dixon JR, McCarthy CJ, Rage J-C, Schätti B, Toriba M. 1993. Endoglyphs and Other Major Venomous Snakes of the World: A Checklist. Geneva: Azemiops. 478 pp.
- Nilson G, Andrén C. 1985. Systematics of the Vipera xanthina complex (Reptilia: Viperidae). 3. Taxonomic status of the Bulgar Dagh viper in south Turkey. Journal of Herpetology 19 (2): 276-283. (Vipera bulgardaghica, new species)
External links
- Montivipera xanthina at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 21 October 2013.