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Project Noah Nature School
Dense, primary rainforest in Aceh, Sumatra
This viper was coiled up among some exposed tree roots.
This indeed looks like what has been called Trimeresurus puniceus, but it's complicated. Recently, "the brown Asian pitvipers of the genus Trimeresurus related to Trimeresurus puniceus (informal Trimeresurus puniceus-complex) are revised." Trimeresurus puniceus "is known from Java and the southern part of Sumatra" [...] "but the taxonomy of this species in Sumatra is left unresolved". ( http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2012/11/200... ). From this revision, a new species was designated for northern Sumatra, Trimeresurus andalasensis ( http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2012/11/200... ). However it is probably safe to assume this specimen is part of the "Trimeresurus puniceus-complex".
Spotted on Dec 10, 2005
Submitted on Mar 24, 2013
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