Pseudocerastes urarachnoides BOSTANCHI, ANDERSON, KAMI & PAPENFUSS, 2006
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Pseudocerastes urarachnoides?
Pseudocerastes urarachnoides
Find more photos by Google images search: 
| Higher Taxa | Viperidae, Viperinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Iranian spider viper G: Spinnenschwanzviper |
| Synonym | Pseudocerastes urarachnoides BOSTANCHI, ANDERSON, KAMI & PAPENFUSS 2006 Pseudocerastes urarachnoides — GOWER et al. 2012: 84 Pseudocerastes urarachnoides — WALLACH et al. 2014: 600( |
| Distribution | Iran (Ilam, Kermanshah, Khuzestan Provinces), ca. 200 m elevation; Iraq Type locality: Iran: Ilam Province: 70 km SW Ilam [probably on road to Amirabad and Mehran] |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: FMNH 170929, female, collected by Daniel R. Womochel and Anthony F. DeBlase, Second Street Expedition to Iran, 27 August 1968. Paratype: ZMGU [male], 1300, Iran: Kermanshah Province: 25 km south of Qasr-e-Shirin on road to Gilan-e Gharb, open level area in agricultural region, ca. 200 meters elevation, collected by Hamid Bostanchi, May 15, 2001 at about 0800 hrs. |
| Diagnosis | DIAGNOSIS: A Pseudocerastes with a short tail (TL/T= 9.65), few pairs of subcaudals (15 in the known specimens), the distal pairs forming an oval knob-like structure; lateral dorsal caudal scales projected to form elongate "appendages" alongside terminal knob. Several rows of lateral dorsal scales are weakly keeled. Description: Known only from two specimens. The holotype, a female was collected in 1968 in the Ilam Province of Western Iran. The paratype thought to be a juvenile male was collected in 2001. The head of the holotype was badly damaged and head characteristics are based on the paratype; 'Head depressed snout short and broadly rounded; the upper head scales small, imbricate, keeled; there is an erect horn-like scale above each eye surrounded by small imbricate scales'. Body scales are strongly keeled, but several lateral scales are feebly keeled and 23 rows at mid-body. The anal is entire with 145 ventrals. The anal is entire, the tail is short with just 15 paired subcaudals. The scales adjoining the subcaudals have elongated keels becoming progressively longer at the distal end; the longest measuring 11.2 mm. The tail terminates in an elongate oval bulb-like structure measuring 10.4 mm made up of last pair of subcaudals and a single enlarged dorsal scale. It is stated that this elaborate ornamentation gives the impression of arthropod or spider legs. Recently a live specimen was examined, and it appears that the body scales can be erected to make them appear even more carinate; plus the description of the head is confirmed as accurate (FaTHInIa, pers. comm.). (Phelps 2010: 440) |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | From the Greek: ura = tail; arachno= spider; ides= similar to. |
| References |
|
| External links |