Malabar pit viper

Trimeresurus malabaricus
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Trimeresurus
Species:	T. malabaricus
Binomial name
Trimeresurus malabaricus (Jerdon, 1854)
Synonyms
Trigonocephalus (Cophias) malabaricus Jerdon, 1854 Trigonocephalus (Cophias) wardii Jerdon, 1854 Trimesurus Malabaricus – Beddome, 1862 Trimesurus Wardii – Beddome, 1862 Trimeresurus anamallensis Günther, 1864 Crotalus Trimeres[urus]. anamallensis – Higgins, 1873 Crotalus Trimeres[urus]. Wardii – Higgins, 1873 B[othrops]. anamallensis – F. Müller, 1878 Lachesis anamallensis – Boulenger, 1896 Lachesis malabaricus – Rao, 1917 Lachesis coorgensis Rao, 1917 Trimeresurus malabaricus – M.A. Smith, 1943 Trimeresurus (Craspedocephalus) malabaricus – David et al., 2011

Trimeresurus malabaricus, commonly known as Malabar pit viper, rock viper or Malabar rock pit viper is a venomous pit viper species endemic to southwestern India. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Adults may attain a snout-vent length (SVL) of 105 cm (41 in). The tail is prehensile.

The weakly keeled dorsal scales are arranged in 21 or 19 rows at midbody. Ventral scales in the males number 143-158 and in females 136-159. Anal scale entire. Subcaudals paired and numbering 50-63 in males, 44-54 in females. Internasals large and usually touching. There are 9 or 10 supralabials, the first completely separated from the nasal. There is a single row of scales between supralabials and elongate subocular. The temporal scales are smooth or obliquely keeled.

Many different colour morphs are known to exist, including colours such as yellow, green, and brown. Shown here is a brown colour morph with pattern.

The species is found in southern and western India at 600–2,000 metres (2,000–6,600 ft) elevation. The type locality are the Western Ghats of southwestern India). It inhabits moist forests, both evergreen and deciduous, where it may be found on the ground, on low vegetation, or in shrubs.

The Malabar pit viper is nocturnal and usually inactive in the day, sometimes seen basking on rocks or trees near streams. It is more commonly encountered during the monsoon months. The species preys upon tree frogs, geckos, musk shrews, and other small animals.

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