Новые данные о систематике змей рода Echis

Abstract

Three significant lightly variable characters, viz. type of scutelli arrangement on the lower jaw, the number of scales across the middle of the body and a pattern on the head top, are distinguished to differentiate vipers from various zoogeographical regions. It is supposed that vipers from various zoogeographical regions cannot belong fo one species. So, taxonomy of the genus may be represented as follows: Palearctic vipers — Echis multisquamatus, E. s. sochureki, E. s. astolae, E. coloratus; Indian — E. c. carinatus, E. c. sinhaleyus; African — E. p. pyramidum, E. p. leakeyi, E. p. aliaborri, E. ocellatus, E. leucogaster.