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| Echis coloratus | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Palestine saw-scaled viper
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| Echis coloratus Günther, 1878 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Common names: painted saw-scaled viper,[2] painted carpet viper,[3] Burton's carpet viper,[3] more.
Echis coloratus is a venomous viper species found in the Middle East and Egypt.[1] No subspecies are currently recognized.[4]
Grows to a maximum length of 75 cm.[2]
painted saw-scaled viper,[2] painted carpet viper,[3] Burton's carpet viper,[3] Palestine saw-scaled viper,[5] Arabian saw-scaled viper, Mid-East saw-scaled viper.[6]
Found in the Middle East in Sinai, Israel and Jordan. On the Arabian Peninsula it is found in Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman. In Africa it occurs only in southeastern Egypt east of the Nile and as far south as the 24th parallel. The type locality given is "Jebel Shárr, at an altitude of 4500 feet ... Midian" (Saudi Arabia, 1371 m altitude).[1]
Occurs in rocky deserts, from sea level to altitudes as high as 2500 m. Not found in sandy deserts.[3]
In order to maintain nomenclatural stability, Stimson (1974) proposed that E. coloratus be validated over E. froenata. The ICZN subsequently gave coloratus precedence over froenata by use of its plenary powers.[1]