Ovophis zhaoermii
| Ovophis zhaoermii | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Ovophis |
| Species: | O. zhaoermii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ovophis zhaoermii Liu et al., 2025
| |
Ovophis zhaoermii, or the Guanyinshan mountain pitviper, is a species of mountain pit viper endemic to Yunnan, China.[1][2][3] As with all pitvipers, O. zhaoermii is venomous.[4]
Description
Ovophis zhaoermii is a brownish-black to redish-brown snake, with no patterns on its head but rectangular black blotches and white spots present along its body and tail respectively. It can be distinguished from similar species via its various scale morphologies.[1][4]
Diet
The diet of the Guanyinshan mountain pitviper is unknown, but a species of Ovophis, possibly O. zhaoermii, was sighted with an adult male Ailao Mustache Toad in its jaws.[5]
Conservation
Currently, as the Guanyinshan mountain pitviper has only been sighted inside the legally protected Yuanyang Guanyinshan Provincial Nature Reserve, the snake is not considered to be threatened by humans.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Liu, Shuo; Hou, Mian; Mo, Mingzhong; Li, Mei; Li, Biao; Luo, Xiong; Rao, Dingqi; Li, Song (2025-03-06). "A new species of the genus Ovophis Burger in Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981 (Serpentes, Viperidae) from southern Yunnan, China". ZooKeys. 1230: 287–302. doi:10.3897/zookeys.1230.142967. ISSN 1313-2970.
- ^ Qiao, Zichen; Tang, Yong; Shang, Aobo; Tao, You; Fry, Bryan G. (2025-11-01). "First documented cases of envenomations in mainland China by Ovophis species (mountain pitvipers): Severe coagulopathy and variable antivenom response in two patients from Yunnan Province". Toxicon. 267. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108583. ISSN 0041-0101.
- ^ Chen, Min-Hui; Wu, Szu-Hsien; Chen, Yen-Wen; Yang, Wan-Wan; Chen, Yen-Chia (2026-03-01). "Case report of juvenile Ovophis makazayazaya (Taiwan mountain pit viper) envenoming from Taiwan". Toxicon. 271. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108948. ISSN 0041-0101.
- ^ a b "Ovophis zhaoermii". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ^ Tapley, Benjamin; Nguyen, Luan; McCormack, Timothy E.M.; Kane, Daniel (2025-09-15). "Attempted predation on an Ailao Moustache Toad (<i>Leptobrachium ailaonicum</i> Yang, Chen, and Ma 1983) by a Mountain Pitviper (<i>Ovophis</i> sp.)". Reptiles & Amphibians. 32 (1). doi:10.17161/randa.v32i1.24088. ISSN 2332-4961.