Cameron Highlands Pit Viper

Description:

The Cameron Highlands Pit Viper is a venom viper endemic from Cameron Highlands and Fraser's Hill, included within the Trimeresurus popeorum complex and only described in 2004 (Vogel, David & Pauwels). Top of body is Intense green with a hint of blue, more apparent at the margin of the dorsal body scales, yellow at ventral scales, supralabials are bluish green, chin and throat are yellowish green, tail is brown-reddish vertebrally and green laterally, (is the only species in Popeia that has a red tipped tail), iris green or yellowish green. About 1000mm large with a robust and cylindrical body, head is distinct from neck, eyes are small with a vertical pupil, dorsals are keeled.

Habitat:

Can be found in low vegetation in mountaine forests, named after the 'hill resort' from which it was first described, and which lies in the northern part of Pahang State, Peninsular Malaysia, the species appears restricted to elevations of between 1000 to 1500 metres.

Notes:

Spotted on the ground during a night walk at Cameron Highlands (Malaysia) with project Noah member Albert Kang. Named after the Latin adjective nebularis, meaning “from the clouds”, in allusion to the cloudy mountain rainforests, or cloud forests, inhabited by this species. Classified in IUCN List as vulnerable because his restricted area with a maximum extent of occurrence of around 6,600 km², and there is a continuing decline in the number of mature individuals due to the illegal collection for the pet trade. If the harvest of this species is not stopped, this species may qualify for a higher threat category in the near future. It is nocturnal and feeds on frogs, birds, lizards and small rodents. Reproductive habits are unstudied. There are no data available on population size and trends for this species. Fonts: - A Naturalist's Guide to the Snakes of South-East Asia / Indraneil Das / JB Publishing - reptile-database.reptarium.cz - Ecologyasia.com - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19215...