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New perspectives on the evolution of South-east Asian pit vipers (genus Trimeresurus) from molecular studies.
... Asian pit vipers that are distributed across southern and southeastern Asia are known to inhabit several types of habitats like wet, humid and montane forests, and also found in a few dry forest habitats (Gumprecht et al. 2004). Recent phylogeographic studies have largely addressed the taxonomic status of certain groups of pit vipers like Trimeresurus complex (Malhotra & Thorpe 1997, 2004David et al. 2011;Mallik et al. 2021) and Protobothrops (see Guo et al. 2009). Geographical diversity as well as sexual dimorphism often led to inaccurate taxonomic assignment among the closely similar pit viper species (Malhotra & Thorpe 1997, 2004. ...
... Recent phylogeographic studies have largely addressed the taxonomic status of certain groups of pit vipers like Trimeresurus complex (Malhotra & Thorpe 1997, 2004David et al. 2011;Mallik et al. 2021) and Protobothrops (see Guo et al. 2009). Geographical diversity as well as sexual dimorphism often led to inaccurate taxonomic assignment among the closely similar pit viper species (Malhotra & Thorpe 1997, 2004. Consequently, pit vipers are still regarded to contain several taxonomically complex species in India. ...
In spite of the potential richness in biodiversity, Manipur is still one of the least explored areas in northeastern India. In this work, we report on our finding of four pit viper species, namely, Trimeresurus mayaae, T. salazar, T. erythrurus, and Protobothrops jerdonii in Manipur during our herpetological surveys in 2022. We affirm the identity of these specimens based on the combination of standard morphological characters and mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Our study not only reports four new records of pit vipers for the first time in Manipur, but also extends their respective known geographical ranges. This information calls for further dissemination especially to health care sector, as it is on venomous snakes that could be of medical importance as regards human snakebites.
... Asian pit vipers that are distributed across southern and southeastern Asia are known to inhabit several types of habitats like wet, humid and montane forests, and also found in a few dry forest habitats (Gumprecht et al. 2004). Recent phylogeographic studies have largely addressed the taxonomic status of certain groups of pit vipers like Trimeresurus complex (Malhotra & Thorpe 1997, 2004David et al. 2011;Mallik et al. 2021) and Protobothrops (see Guo et al. 2009). Geographical diversity as well as sexual dimorphism often led to inaccurate taxonomic assignment among the closely similar pit viper species (Malhotra & Thorpe 1997, 2004. ...
... Recent phylogeographic studies have largely addressed the taxonomic status of certain groups of pit vipers like Trimeresurus complex (Malhotra & Thorpe 1997, 2004David et al. 2011;Mallik et al. 2021) and Protobothrops (see Guo et al. 2009). Geographical diversity as well as sexual dimorphism often led to inaccurate taxonomic assignment among the closely similar pit viper species (Malhotra & Thorpe 1997, 2004. Consequently, pit vipers are still regarded to contain several taxonomically complex species in India. ...
In spite of the potential richness in biodiversity, Manipur is still one of the least explored areas in northeastern India. In this
work, we report on our fnding of four pit viper species, namely, Trimeresurus mayaae, T. salazar, T. erythrurus, and Protobothrops jerdonii
in Manipur during our herpetological surveys in 2022. We afirm the identity of these specimens based on the combination of standard
morphological characters and mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Our study not only reports four new records of pit vipers for the first time in Manipur, but also extends their respective known geographical ranges. This information calls for further dissemination especially to health care sector, as it is on venomous snakes that could be of medical importance as regards human snakebites.
... Eventually, Giannasi et al. (2001) raised to full species status these subspecies, as Trimeresurus insularis Kramer and Trimeresurus septentrionalis Kramer, 1977. the validity of these taxa at species level was subsequently largely recognized in the literature. However, Malhotra & thorpe (1996Malhotra & thorpe ( , 2000 showed that Trimeresurus albolabris is clearly paraphyletic, consisting of at least three clades deserving a full species status. ...
In the frame of our investigations on the systematics of the complex of species of Trimeresurus albolabris, we came across specimens from Myanmar variously referred to as Trimeresurus albolabris Gray, 1842 or T. septentrionalis Kramer, 1977 in the literature. We describe a new species of green pitviper of the genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804 from central and southern Myanmar based on molecular analyses drawn from previously published phylogenies and new morphological data. This new species, Trimeresurus uetzi sp. nov., is broadly similar to both Trimeresurus albolabris and T. septentrionalis, but it differs from these latter species by a series of morphological characters such as presence of white pre- and postocular streaks in male, iris copper in male or green gold in female, more ventral plates, and a much shorter hemipenis. We compare this new species with Trimeresurus albolabris as currently defined and other species of this complex. We also emphasize the need for additional integrated studies on Trimeresurus albolabris sensu lato populations distributed in southern Indochina and Sundaland.
... Trimeresurus appears to be paraphyletic: viviparous forms are closely related to Old World Agkistrodon, but the oviparous T. mucrosquamatus lies outside a clade containing all crotaline genera just mentioned (Knight et al. 1992;Heise et al. 1995). A recent analysis by Malhotra and Thorpe (1997) is consistent with this: The oviparous T. mucrosquamatus is only distantly related to other Trimerasurus, although the monophyly of Trimeresurus was assumed rather than tested in the analysis. The most basal crotalines are Deinagkistrodon, Sistrurus, and Calloselasma (Knight et al. 1992). ...
It has been suggested repeatedly that the evolutionary transition from oviparity (egg-laying) to viviparity (live-bearing) in reptiles is irreversible. However, these adaptive arguments have yet to be tested by detailed examination of the phylogenetic distribution of oviparity and viviparity across a broad range of taxa. Using available data on reproductive modes and phylogenetic relationships within reptiles, we here quantify the numbers and directions of evolutionary transitions between oviparity and viviparity. Phylogenetic relationships among three diverse squamate groups (scincid lizards, colubrid snakes, elapid snakes) are currently inadequately known for inclusion in this study Among the remaining reptiles, oviparity has given rise to viviparity at least 35 times. Five possible instances of reversals (from viviparity to oviparity) are identified, but closer examination indicates that all have weak empirical support (i.e., they could be "unreversed" with little loss in parsimony, and/or are based on poorly substantiated phylogenetic hypotheses). Viviparity is clearly more frequently (and presumably easily) gained than lost in several disparate groups so far examined (reptiles, fishes, polychaete worms); this evolutionary bias should be considered when reproductive mode is optimized on a phylogeny or employed in phylogenetic reconstruction.
... Although this study focused on T. albolabris, the negative effects we observed may also extend to species with similar life history traits, including other members of the genus Trimeresurus, many of which are also widespread and relatively commonly encountered (Malhotra and Thorpe, 1997;Orlov et al., 2002) and are likely to be conflict snakes within their ranges. Our results are also applicable to non-conflict situations such as reintroduction, repopulation and possibly repatriation, if the differences between sources of snakes are taken into account. ...
Translocation of ‘nuisance’ snakes is frequently employed on a large scale in densely populated areas in order to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. However, the methods used are often applied haphazardly and are rarely evaluated, especially in tropical Asia. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of long-distance translocation on the white-lipped pit viper (Trimeresurus albolabris) in South China, where they are routinely removed from urban areas or homes and translocated into national parks. Using radio telemetry, we compared the ecology and biology of ‘resident’ and ‘translocated’ snakes to determine if long-distance translocation (> 3 km) is a viable conservation option. Translocation extended the period over which predation occurred and significantly decreased survival. Translocated snakes made unidirectional movements away from points of release, yet these movements were not oriented towards points of origin and there was no evidence for homing behavior. Translocation significantly increased frequency of movements and distances moved by female snakes, but no such differences were observed for male snakes. In contrast with resident snakes, translocated snakes did not show synchrony in the onset of brumation, and translocation appeared to negatively affect reproduction in both males and females. Our results suggest that long-distance translocation is not the best management approach to handle nuisance individuals of this species. Findings of this study can be used to prescribe improvements for current strategies to deal with nuisance snakes in Hong Kong and in the region.
... (1981), MAHENDRA (1984), MURTHY (1985MURTHY ( , 1990b, GOLAY et al. (1993), DAS (1994aDAS ( , 1997, DAVID & INEICH (1999), MCDIARMID et al. (1999). (1958) (1992), GOLAY et al. (1993), ZHAO & ADLER (1993), MALHOTRA & THORPE (1996), NGUYEN & HO (1996), SZYNDLAR & NGUYEN (1996), GUMPRECHT (1997), ORLOV (1997ORLOV ( , 1998, ZHAO et al. (1998), DAVID & INEICH (1999), MCDIARMID et al. (1999. (1917) ...
Abstract. A complete annotated list of Asian vipers of the subfamilies Azemiopinae and Crotalinae
is presented, supplemented with detailed information on distribution. Results of own
investigations in different regions of East, Southeast, and South Asia from the eastern Himalayas to
eastern Tonkin (Vietnam) and from the Russian Far East to the Great Sunda Archipelago are
summarised. Further, data on species from the Russian Far East (Primorsky territory, south of Amur
region, and Khabarovsk territory), Mongolia (Khalkhin-Gol river valley, western foothills of Great
Khingan),Vietnam (mountains of Tonkin and Annam), eastern Nepal and India (Sikkim), and the
Great Sunda Archipelago (mountain regions of southern Sumatra and western Java) are presented.
For many taxa age-dependent variation in diet and feeding behaviour, reproductive biology
and growth were studied under natural and laboratory conditions.The results of these investigations
are discussed in terms of ecological variation of Asian vipers of the subfamilies Azemiopinae
and Crotalinae.
A review of the snake diversity of Phong Nha Ke Bang, central Truong Son, Vietnam is given. As the result of recent field work, we add nine species to the region's karst forest snake fauna: Amphiesma sp., Calamaria thanhi, Gonyosoma prasinum, Liopeltis frenatus, Lycodon cf. ruhstrati, Lycodon sp., Pareas hamptoni, P. macularius, and Pseudoxenodon macrops. The evidence of Calamaria thanhi from within the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park's borders in addition represents the second finding of this recently described and barely known species as well as the first male recorded. A topical list of the 59 snake species recorded from the area is presented (two Typhlopidae, two Xenopeltidae, two Pythonidae, five Elapidae, five Crotalidae, and 43 colubrid snakes) and compared with the snake fauna known from Tam Dao mountain ridge in northern Vietnam. Species being expected in the future to be recorded within the Phong Nha Ke Bang region are introduced and zoogeographical aspects of the regional snake's fauna composition are discussed. Besides an overview of the spatial and temporal niche segregation of the Phong Nha Ke Bang snake community we show the snake species abundances based on own field surveys in the period between 1998 and 2006. Finally, we provide an identification key to the snake species recorded from Phong Nha Ke Bang and adjacent provinces in central Vietnam.
A complete annotated list of Asian vipers of the subfamilies Azemiopinae and Crotalinae
is presented, supplemented with detailed information on distribution. Results of own
investigations in different regions of East, Southeast, and South Asia from the eastern Himalayas to
eastern Tonkin (Vietnam) and from the Russian Far East to the Great Sunda Archipelago are
summarised. Further, data on species from the Russian Far East (Primorsky territory, south of Amur
region, and Khabarovsk territory), Mongolia (Khalkhin-Gol river valley, western foothills of Great
Khingan),Vietnam (mountains of Tonkin and Annam), eastern Nepal and India (Sikkim), and the
Great Sunda Archipelago (mountain regions of southern Sumatra and western Java) are presented.
For many taxa age-dependent variation in diet and feeding behaviour, reproductive biology
and growth were studied under natural and laboratory conditions.The results of these investigations
are discussed in terms of ecological variation of Asian vipers of the subfamilies Azemiopinae
and Crotalinae.
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