Gloydius intermedius


Gloydius intermedius, or Central Asian pit viper, is a venomous species of pitviper endemic to northern Asia.

Description

and Conant (herpetologist)|Conant] reported examining subadults and adults of G. intermedius that were in total length. Nikolsky mentioned that some individuals may reach as much as in total length. The body is relatively stout, and the snout is not upturned.
The scalation includes 7 supralabial scales, 23 rows of keeled dorsal scales at midbody, 149-165 ventral scales, and 32-48 subcaudal scales.
The color pattern is variable, but generally consists of 28-45 dark subquadrate dorsal blotches or crossbands that usually extend down the flanks as far as the first or second scale rows. Between these blotches are irregular light areas. A dark brown to black postorbital stripe is present, extending from the eye back to the angle of the jaw, outlined by a light line above, and by cream-colored supralabial scales below.

Common names

Common names for G. intermedius include Central Asian pit viper, intermediate mamushi, Mongolian pit viper, Central Asian pitviper.

Previous Subspecies

The status of previous subspecies is controversial, but none are currently recognised, with G. caucasicus and G. stejnegeri being elevated to full species.

Geographic range

G. intermedius is found in southeastern Azerbaijan, northern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, northwestern Afghanistan, southern Russia, Korea, northwestern China and Mongolia. The type locality given by Stejneger is "Governm. Irkutsk, East Siberia." Golay et al. give "Yesso Island, banks of Amur River and Khinggan Mountain Range."