Gloydius chambensis KUTTALAM, SANTRA, OWENS, SELVAN, MUKHERJEE, GRAHAM, TOGRIDOU, BHARTI, SHI, SHANKER & MALHOTRA, 2022
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Gloydius chambensis
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| Higher Taxa | Viperidae, Crotalinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Chamba Pitviper |
| Synonym | Gloydius chambensis KUTTALAM, SANTRA, OWENS, SELVAN, MUKHERJEE, GRAHAM, TOGRIDOU, BHARTI, SHI, SHANKER & MALHOTRA 2022 Halys himalayanus GÜNTHER 1864: 393 (part.) Ancistrodon himalayanus – BOULENGER 1896: 424 Ancistrodon himalayanus – SMITH 1943: 495 Agkistrodon himalayanus – GLOYD & CONANT 1990: 255 Agkistrodon himalayana – UNDERWOOD 1999: 3–8 Gloydius himalayanus – MCDIARMID et al. 1999: 305 Gloydius himalayanus – GUMPRECHT et al. 2004: 20 Gloydius himalayanus – WALLACH et al. 2014: 310 |
| Distribution | India (Chamba District, Himachal Pradesh) Type locality: India, Himachal Pradesh, Chamba District, Bhanjraru (32.83909° N, 76.14932° E) 1738 m elevation |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: HARC R259 (collection of the High Altitude Research Centre, Solan, Himachal Pradesh), adult male, Collected by Sourish Kuttalam, Vishal Santra, John Benjamin Owens, Vipin Dhiman, Anita Malhotra, Nilanjan Mukherjee, Stuart Graham and Anatoli Togridou on 10 July 2019; DNA reference number 18.13; Paratypes: none |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Gloydius chambensis can be identified by the number of gular scales in contact with the infralabial scales (4–5, mean 4.17), number of sublabial scales (9–10, mean 9.57) and the proportion of the first temporal scale covered by the postocular stripe (covering less than a quarter of the temporal scale). (Kuttalam et al. 2021). Additional details (2129 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Distribution: The Chamba and associated valleys have an elevational range from 400 m to 5500 m. The major river system of the valley is the Ravi River and it is isolated by two ranges, the Pir Panjal Range to the north and northwest and the Dhauladhar Range to the south and southeast. The exact distribution of the new species in the Chamba district requires further survey effort, as it may extend as far south as the Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary. Almost all the specimens were found close to rural households, and anecdotal interactions with the local villagers indicate that this is the venomous snake that is most commonly seen in the region and that causes the most bites to people in the valley, with bites resulting in pain, swelling, bruising, and bleeding. (Kuttalam et al. 2021). |
| Etymology | The specific epithet ‘chambensis’ means ‘from Chamba’ in reference to the species being distributed in Chamba District. |
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