Viperidae - Crotalinae - 2008 Publications

Status of Ceratrimeresurus shenlii

David et al. (2008) re-examine the status of the enigmatic pitviper Ceratrimeresurus shenlii, described by Liang & Liu in Liang (2003) on the basis of a horned pitviper from southern China. A comparison of morphological characters indicated that the the holotype is conspecific with Protobothrops cornutus, a species previously only known from Vietnam. Therefore, the authors synonymised Ceratrimeresurus shenlii with Protobothrops cornutus, the range of which is now known to extend from central Vietnam to northern Guangdong Province, China

• David, P., H. Tong, G. Vogel & M. Tian (2008) On the Status of the Chinese Pitviper Ceratrimeresurus shenlii Liang and Liu in Liang, 2003 (Serpentes, Viperidae), with the Addition of Protobothrops cornutus (Smith, 1930) to the Chinese Snake Fauna. Asiatic Herpetological Research 11: 17-23. pdf
• Liang, Q. (2003) Reptiles of Guangdong Nanling Nature Reserve. In: Pang, X. (Ed.), Studies on Biodiversity of the Guangdong Nanling National Nature Reserve. Guangdong Science and Technology Press, Guangzhou: 408–417, Pl. 8. (In Chinese).

Revision of Bothrops neuwiedi complex, description of Bothrops marmoratus

Silva & Rodrigues (2008) revised the taxonomy of the Bothrops neuwiedi complex using multivariate analysis of morphological variation across 1759 specimens of the entire complex, based on the data and analyses of Silva (2000). Their principal conclusion, that the complex consists of seven distinct species, had been previously published by Silva (2004) (see Crotalinae 2004 for details and distinguishing characters of the seven species). The seventh, hitherto undescribed species is now defined, described and named by Silva & Rodrigues as Bothrops marmoratus.

• Silva, V.X. da (2000) Revisão sistemática do complexo Bothrops neuwiedi (Serpentes, Viperidae, Crotalinae). Unpublished PhD thesis, Universidade de São Paulo
• Silva, V.X. da (2004) The Bothrops neuwiedi complex. Pp. 410-422 in Campbell, J.A. & Lamar, W.W., The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock, Ithaca, London.
• Silva, V.X. da & M.T. Rodrigues (2008) Taxonomic revision of the Bothrops neuwiedi complex (Serpentes, Viperidae) with description of a new species. Phyllomedusa 7: 45-90. pdf

Description of Cryptelytrops honsonensis

Grismer et al. (2008) described a new species of pitviper from Hon Son Island, southern Vietnam. The new species is morphologically most similar to C. venustus, from southern Thailand, but phylogenetic relationships in the genus Cryptelytrops remain insufficiently resolved to test this. It differs from the latter species in colour (brownish rather than greenish) and larger.

• Grismer, L.L., N.V. Tri & J.L. Grismer (2008) A new species of insular pitviper of the genus Cryptelytrops (Squamata: Viperidae) from southern Vietnam. Zootaxa 1715: 57-68. pdf

Description of Atropoides indomitus

Smith & Ferrari-Castro (2008) described a new species of jumping viper from the Sierra de Botaderos and Sierra de la Muralla, northern Honduras. The species had been flagged as distinct in previous molecular analyses of the genus Atropoides, and was found to also differ in a number of morphological characters particular a high ventral scale count compared to other members of the A. nummifer complex, and a from A. picadoi in a number of aspects of colour pattern.

• Smith, E.N. & J.A. Ferrari-Castro (2008) A new species of jumping viper of the genus Atropoides (serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae) from the Sierra de Botaderos and the Sierra La Muralla, Honduras. Zootaxa, 1948: 57-68.

Affinities of Trimeresurus truongsonensis

Dawson et al. (2008) used mtDNA sequences to infer the phylogenetic position of the enigmatic pitviper described as Trimeresurus truongsonensis, described by Orlov et al. (2004) from Central Vietnam. The sequence analysis shows clearly that this species is nested within the genus Viridovipera, as a result of which Dawson et al. assign it to that genus as Viridovipera truongsonensis.

• Dawson, K., A. Malhotra, R.S. Thorpe, P. Guo, Mrinalini & T. Ziegler (2008) Mitochondrial DNA analysis reveals a new member of the Asian pitviper genus Viridovipera (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 49: 356-361.
• Orlov, N.L., S.A. Ryabov, Bui Ngok Thanh & Ho Thu Cuc (2004)  A new species of Trimeresurus (Ophidia: Viperidae: Crotalinae) from karst region in Central Vietnam. Russian Journal of Herpetology 11(2): 139 – 149.

Description of Crotalus ericsmithi

Campbell & Flores-Villela (2008) described a new species of rattlesnake, Crotalus ericsmithi, from central Guerrero, Mexico. The species shares with C. stejnegeri and C. lannomi the possession of a long tail and very small rattle. All three species are rare, and C. lannomi and C. ericsmitthi are known from single specimens only.

• Campbell, J.A. & O. Flores-Villela (2008) A new long-tailed rattlesnake (Viperidae) from Guerrero, Mexico. Herpetologica 64: 246-257.