Protobothrops jerdonii (Jerdon's pitviper, yellow-speckled pit viper, oriental pit viper) is a venomous pit viper species found in India, Nepal, Myanmar, China, and Vietnam. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
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| Jerdon’s Pit Viper |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Subphylum | Vertebrata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Suborder | Serpentes |
| Family | Viperidae |
| Subfamily | Viperinae |
| Genus | Vipera |
| Species | V. kaznakovi |
| Scientific Name | Vipera kaznakovi |
Description
Protobothrops jerdonii, illustration by G.H. Ford (1875) for Günther's original description.
Males of P. jerdonii grow to a maximum total length of 835 mm (32.9 in), which includes a tail length of 140 mm (5.5 in); females grow to 990 mm (39 in), with a tail length of 160 mm (6.3 in).
Scalation: dorsal scales in 21 longitudinal rows at midbody (rarely 23); snout length a little more than twice diameter of eye; head above, except for large internasals and supraoculars, covered by small, unequal, smooth scales that are feebly imbricate or juxtaposed; first labial completely separated from nasal scales by a suture; internasals separated by 1–2 small scales; 6–9 small scales in line between supraoculars; 7–8 upper labials, third and fourth beneath eye, in contact with subocular or separated by at most a single series of small scales; ventrals: males 164–188, females 167–193; subcaudals: males 50–78, females 44–76.
Color: Patterns in shades of emerald and brown (vary between subspecies)
Distribution
P. jerdonii is found in northeastern India, Nepal, through northern Burma to southwestern China and Vietnam. The type locality given by Günther is "Khassya" (=Khasi Hills, India).
Habitat T
ropical rainforests
Diet
Rodents like rats, mice, and amphibians like toads, frogs
Venom Fact
Venomous
IUCN Conservation Status
Least Concern
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