Gloydius himalayanus

Gloydius himalayanus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Squamata
Suborder:
Serpentes
Family:
Viperidae
Genus:
Gloydius
Species:
G. himalayanus
Binomial name
Gloydius himalayanus
(Günther, 1864)
Synonyms
  • Trigonocephalus affinis
    – Günther, 1860 (part)
  • Halys himalayanus Günther, 1864
  • Halys Himalayanus
    – Stoliczka, 1870
  • Halys Hymalayanus
    Stoliczka, 1870 (ex errore)
  • Trigonocephalus himalayanus – Strauch, 1873
  • Crotalus Halys Himalayanus – Higgins, 1873
  • Ancistrodon himalayanus
    – Boulenger, 1890
  • Agkistrodon himalayanus
    – Hatta, 1928
  • A[gkistrodon]. himalayana
    – Underwood, 1979
  • Gloydius himalayanus
    – Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981[1]

Gloydius himalayanus (commonly known as the Himalayan Pit Viper) is a medium-sized gray-brown snake found in caverns and rocky crevices of forested hill sides, where it feeds on skinks and lizards. The scale pattern consists of medial dark brown blotches, alternating with lateral rows of spots.

It occurs along the southern slopes of the Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal as far as Sikkim between 1500–3000 m altitude.

The Himalayan Pit Viper is a habitually sluggish snake that basks in sunlight and hibernates in winter.

Sources

[change | change source]
  1. ↑ McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).