Agasthyamali large-scaled Pit Viper

description

Description. Holotype in good condition, dissected, with a slender, cylindrical body of snout to vent length (SVL) 263 mm and a prehensile tail of length (TL) 57 mm; dorsal scales keeled with anterior dorsal scale rows (DSR) 17, mid body scale rows (MSR) 15 and posterior scale rows (PSR) 10; head prominent, of length 20.5 mm, clearly distinguished from the neck with large, smooth dorsal shields on the head; rostral scale triangular with the upper side roughly half the size of the lower side with the tip visible from above; supraoculars of length 5.46 mm and frontal separated by pair of scales on both sides and nasal scales separated by three scales from above; five scales other than the pre and post ocular scales bordering the supraoculars on both sides, with three scales between the posterior edge of the supraoculars; canthus rostralis distinct with 3 / 3 canthal scale; three preoculars, a postocular and a thin elongated crescent shaped subocular, in contact with a small scale, encompassed by the third and fourth supralabial scale; eye with a distinct elliptical pupil, vertical diameter of the eye 2.94 mm and horizontal diameter 3.52 mm; temporal scales smooth; aperture of the nos

Resolving pitfalls in pit viper systematics - A multi-criteria approach to species delimitation in pit vipers (Reptilia, Viperidae, Craspedocephalus) of Peninsular India reveals cryptic diversity

distribution

Distribution. Endemic to the southern Western Ghats, south of the Shencottah gap. Geographically separated from its sister species, C. macrolepis that inhabits the ranges to the north of the Shencottah gap. Found throughout the high elevations of the Agasthyamalai hills.

Resolving pitfalls in pit viper systematics - A multi-criteria approach to species delimitation in pit vipers (Reptilia, Viperidae, Craspedocephalus) of Peninsular India reveals cryptic diversity

etymology

Etymology. Named after Guenther's erstwhile generic nomen that alludes to the shield-like, large scales (peltē: shield / scale, pelor (o) -: a term meaning monstrous [or literally huge], in Greek).

Resolving pitfalls in pit viper systematics - A multi-criteria approach to species delimitation in pit vipers (Reptilia, Viperidae, Craspedocephalus) of Peninsular India reveals cryptic diversity

materials_examined

Material examined. Specimen series: Holotype (BNHS 3593) from Chemunji, Peppara, Agasthyamalai, 08 ° 40.7 ' N; 77 ° 11.55 ' E, collected in 2010, by Saunak P. Pal & S. P. Vijayakumar. - Paratype (BNHS 2950) from Tirunelveli Hills (Agasthyamalai), collected in 1976 by Romulus Whitaker.

Resolving pitfalls in pit viper systematics - A multi-criteria approach to species delimitation in pit vipers (Reptilia, Viperidae, Craspedocephalus) of Peninsular India reveals cryptic diversity