Trimeresurus sumatranus

Trimeresurus sumatranus
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. sumatranus
Binomial name
Trimeresurus sumatranus Malhotra et al., 2011
Synonyms
C[oluber]. Sumatranus Raffles, 1822 C[oluber]. sumatranus – H. Boie, 1826 Trigonocephalus formosus J.P. Müller & Schlegel In Temminck, 1842 Trimeresurus Sumatranus – Gray, 1842 Trigonocephalus formosus – J.P. Müller & Schlegel In Temminck, 1845 Trigonocephalus sumatranus – Cantor, 1847 Trimeresurus formosus – Gray, 1849 B[othrops]. formosus – Jan, 1863 Bothrops sumatranus – Lidth de Jeude, 1866 Lachesis sumatranus – Boulenger, 1896 Trimeresurus sumatranus – M.A. Smith, 1922 Trimeresurus sumatranus sumatranus – Loveridge, 1938 Trimeresurus sumatranus sumatranus – Golay et al., 1993 Parias sumatranus – Malhotra & Thorpe, 2004 Trimeresurus (Parias) sumatranus – David et al., 2011

Trimeresurus sumatranus is a venomous pitviper species found in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Arboreal, its coloration is pale green with a red tail. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

Trimeresurus sumatranus is a large heavy-bodied pitviper, with a prehensile tail. Adults may attain 1.6 metres (5 feet 3 inches) SVL (snout-vent length), with fangs over 10 mm (⅜ inch) long.

It is an arboreal species that is pale green in color with a red tail. The dorsal scales are edged with black, which may form crossbands in more mature specimens. There is a white or yellow stripe on each side along the first row of dorsal scales. Ventrally it is greenish or yellowish, and the ventral scales may be thinly edged with black.

Scalation includes 21 (23) rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 183-190/182-191 ventral scales in males/females, 57-66/55-64 subcaudal scales in males/females, and 8-10 supralabial scales.

In Borneo it inhabits lowland forests at elevations below 800 meters (2,600 feet).

It is nocturnal, climbing onto low branches to hunt its prey.

The diet consists mainly of small mammals, birds, and frogs.

Found in southern Thailand, West and East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo) and Indonesia (Bangka, Billiton, Borneo, Sumatra and the nearby islands of Simalur, Nias, and possibly the Mentawai Islands [Sipora]). The type locality given is "Sumatra."

...
Wikipedia