The Kimberley death adder (Acanthophis cryptamydros) is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae native to northwestern Australia.[3]
Richard Wells and Ross Wellington gave the Kimberley death adder its scientific name Acanthophis lancasteri—in honour of Burt Lancaster—in a 1985 monograph, citing as the type specimen an adult collected 45 kilometres (28 mi) north-northeast of Halls Creek in Western Australia.[4] They cited a 1981 paper by Glen Milton Storr, who had written about death adders of Western Australia.[4] Storr considered both Kimberley and Cape York populations as northern death adder (A. praelongus),[5] and Wells and Wellington noted the description was restricted to the Kimberley population and renamed it as a new species.[4] The monograph was criticised for new species having no or minimal descriptions.[6] Ken P. Aplin and Steve C. Donnellan called the name a nomen nudum as neither Wells and Wellington's nor Storr's notes distinguished the new taxon from the northern death adder.[7]
Simon Maddock and colleagues analysed the Kimberley death adder genetically and found that it was a distinct lineage, more closely related to the desert death adder (A. pyrrhus), and named it Acanthophis cryptamydros in 2015, as they proposed that A. lancasteri was a nomen nudum.[8][9] Wellington countered that their 1985 name was in fact valid.[10]
Australian official sources recognise lancasteri,[3] whereas Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) recognises cryptamydros as the valid name.[2]
The Kimberley death adder is a stocky snake with a pear-shaped head that reaches 64.5 cm (25.5 in) in length. It is a light orange-brown on its back and sides, with darker brown cross-bands, each of which has darker margins. It has distinctive creamy white underparts. It can be distinguished from other Australian death adders by the numbers of scales: 22 or 23 rows of midbody scales, 125–139 ventrals, undivided prefrontal scales, and the rear edge of its frontal scale not extending beyond rear edge of supraoculars, supraoculars flared laterally, area of lower secondary temporal scale equal to or smaller than sixth supralabial, anterior dorsal scales with prominent keels.[8]
It is found from Wotjulum to Kununurra in northwestern Australia.[8]
The Kimberley death adder (Acanthophis cryptamydros) is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae native to northwestern Australia.
Richard Wells and Ross Wellington gave the Kimberley death adder its scientific name Acanthophis lancasteri—in honour of Burt Lancaster—in a 1985 monograph, citing as the type specimen an adult collected 45 kilometres (28 mi) north-northeast of Halls Creek in Western Australia. They cited a 1981 paper by Glen Milton Storr, who had written about death adders of Western Australia. Storr considered both Kimberley and Cape York populations as northern death adder (A. praelongus), and Wells and Wellington noted the description was restricted to the Kimberley population and renamed it as a new species. The monograph was criticised for new species having no or minimal descriptions. Ken P. Aplin and Steve C. Donnellan called the name a nomen nudum as neither Wells and Wellington's nor Storr's notes distinguished the new taxon from the northern death adder.
Simon Maddock and colleagues analysed the Kimberley death adder genetically and found that it was a distinct lineage, more closely related to the desert death adder (A. pyrrhus), and named it Acanthophis cryptamydros in 2015, as they proposed that A. lancasteri was a nomen nudum. Wellington countered that their 1985 name was in fact valid.
Australian official sources recognise lancasteri, whereas Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) recognises cryptamydros as the valid name.
The Kimberley death adder is a stocky snake with a pear-shaped head that reaches 64.5 cm (25.5 in) in length. It is a light orange-brown on its back and sides, with darker brown cross-bands, each of which has darker margins. It has distinctive creamy white underparts. It can be distinguished from other Australian death adders by the numbers of scales: 22 or 23 rows of midbody scales, 125–139 ventrals, undivided prefrontal scales, and the rear edge of its frontal scale not extending beyond rear edge of supraoculars, supraoculars flared laterally, area of lower secondary temporal scale equal to or smaller than sixth supralabial, anterior dorsal scales with prominent keels.
It is found from Wotjulum to Kununurra in northwestern Australia.
Acanthophis cryptamydros on mürknastiklaste sugukonda, Acanthophis perekonda kuuluv maoliik.
Surmarästikute perekonda liigitatud madusid loetakse inimeste suhtes mürkmadudeks, ohtlik on ka nende 'jahipidamise taktika' 'sit and wait ('istu ja oota').
Selles artiklis on kasutatud prantsuskeelset artiklit fr:Acanthophis cryptamydros seisuga 10.10.2015.
Acanthophis cryptamydros on mürknastiklaste sugukonda, Acanthophis perekonda kuuluv maoliik.
Surmarästikute perekonda liigitatud madusid loetakse inimeste suhtes mürkmadudeks, ohtlik on ka nende 'jahipidamise taktika' 'sit and wait ('istu ja oota').
Acanthophis cryptamydros est une espèce de serpents de la famille des Elapidae[1].
Cette espèce est endémique du Kimberley en Australie-Occidentale[1]. Elle se rencontre de Wotjulum à Halls Creek et jusqu'à Kununurra et sur les îles Koolan, Bigge, Boongaree et Wulalam[2].
C'est un serpent venimeux dont le dos va du beige au brun avec 33 bandes transversales plus sombres. La face ventrale est blanc-beige. Il atteint une longueur totale moyenne de 50 cm et au maximum 66 cm[2]. Le mâle holotype mesure 482 mm de longueur totale dont 394 mm de longueur standard et 88 mm de queue.
L'épithète spécifique, cryptamydros, est formé des mots grecs kryptos (cryptique, caché) et amydros (indistinct) en référence aux couleurs et motifs de ce serpent qui le rendent difficilement discernable dans son environnement[2].