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Echis coloratus GÜNTHER, 1878

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Higher TaxaViperidae, Viperinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
SubspeciesEchis coloratus coloratus GÜNTHER 1878
Echis coloratus terraesanctae BABOCSAY 2003 
Common NamesE: Palestine Saw-scaled Viper, Burton’s carpet viper
G: Arabische Sandrasselotter 
SynonymEchis colorata GÜNTHER 1878
Echis froenata DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854: 1449 (nomen oblitum)
Echis coloratus — HAAS 1957: 83
Echis coloratus GASPERETTI 1988
Echis froenatus CHERLIN & BORKIN 1990
Echis coloratus — WELCH 1994: 57
Echis coloratus — MCDIARMID, CAMPBELL & TOURÉ 1999: 378
Echis coloratus — DOBIEY & VOGEL 2007
Echis coloratus — POOK et al. 2009
Echis coloratus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 255
Echis coloratus — MEIRI et al. 2019

Echis coloratus terraesanctae BABOCSAY 2003
Echis coloratus terraesanctae — BAR & HAIMOVITCH 2011: 192 
DistributionE Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Israel, S Oman, Jordan

coloratus: NW Arabia, S Levant (Sinai), Wadi Arava), Egypt (east of Nile), Jordan. Type locality: Jebel Sharr, Midian, Arabia, elevation 4,500 ft.

terraesanctae: Israel, Jordan. Type locality: Ma’ale Efrayim, Samaria, Cisjordan.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: BMNH 1946.1.20.84 (coloratus)
Holotype: HUJ R 8926 [terraesanctae] 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: The main differences between Echis omanensis and Echis coloratus involve the gular scales under the head being rounder and more numerous in the new species. The tail is longer, with more sub-caudal scales, and there are differences in some of the scales around thenostrilsandinthepatternof darkgreyblotcheson the head, back and flanks. 
CommentVenomous!

Synonymy: Cherlin & Borkin 1990 suggested that Echis froenata DUMÉRIL et al. 1854 is a senior synonym of E. coloratus. However, IZCN opinion 1176 established Echis coloratus as valid name, hence E. froenatus should be considered a nomen oblitum.

Distribution: Erroneously reported from Socotra. See distribution map in Babocsay (2003). Populations from United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been described as E. omanensis, hence E. coloratus does not occur in the UAE. Reports from N Oman are now considered as E. omanensis. For a map see Sindaco et al. 2013 and Bar et al. 2021.

Similar species: May be confused with Echis omanensis BABOCSAY 2004. 
References
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