Micrelaps
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- Common names: (none)
Micrelaps is a genus of venomous Atractaspidid snakes found Africa and the Middle East. Currently, 3 species are recognized.[1]
[edit] Species
| Species[1] | Authority[1] | Subsp.*[1] | Common name[2] | Geographic range[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. bicoloratus | Sternfeld, 1908 | 1 | Kenya two-headed snake | Kenya |
| M. muelleri | Boettger, 1880 | 0 | Israel, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon. | |
| M. vaillanti | (Mocquard, 1888) | 0 | Somali two-headed snake | Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, eastern Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. |
*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).
[edit] Taxonomy
One new species, M. tchernovi, was described in 2006 by Werner, Babocsay, Carmely and Thuna. The authors separate this species from M. muelleri, which, according to them, lives (in the southern Levant) in the mesic Mediterranean zone, whereas M. tchernovi inhabits the semi-arid Irano-Turanian zone in the Jordan Valley of Israel and Jordan. The type locality is the central Jordan Valley.[3][2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Micrelaps (TSN 700186). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 17 August 2007.
- ^ a b c Genus Micrelaps at The Reptile Database. Accessed 17 August 2007.
- ^ Werner, Y. L., Babocsay, G., Carmely, H. & M. Thuna (2006): Micrelaps in the southern Levant: variation, sexual dimorphism, and a new species (Serpentes: Atractaspididae). - Zoology in the Middle East 38: p. 29-48. Abstract:
