Chasen's mountain pit viper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chasen's mountain pit viper |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Garthius
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| Species: |
chaseni
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| Synonyms | |
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The Garthius chaseni, also known as Chasen's mountain pit viper, Chasen's tree viper, or the Kinabalu brown pit viper, is a type of venomous pitviper. It belongs to the family Viperidae. This snake is only found in one specific area, which means it is endemic to the island of Borneo in Malaysia. There are no different types or subspecies of this snake known today. It is the only species in its group, called the genus Garthius.
Contents
What's in a Name?
Why is it Called Garthius?
The first part of the snake's scientific name, Garthius, was chosen to honor a British expert on reptiles, Garth Underwood.
Why is it Called chaseni?
The second part of the name, chaseni, honors Frederick Nutter Chasen. In 1931, he was in charge of the Raffles Museum in Singapore.
What Does it Look Like?
Size and Color
The G. chaseni is a snake with a heavy body. It can grow up to about 65 centimeters (about 25.5 inches) long from its snout to its vent (the opening near its tail).
On its back, the snake is usually a dark tan or reddish-brown color. It has dark brown bands across its body. These bands are broken and switch places on the front part of its body. But as you move towards its tail, the bands become more regular. The snake's belly is yellow and gray.
Scales
This snake has two rows of small scales between its upper lip scales and its eye. It has 19, 17, or 15 rows of scales around the middle of its body. It also has 130 to 143 scales on its belly and 20 to 30 pairs of scales under its tail. It has 6 scales on its upper lip, with the third one being the largest.
Where Does it Live?
Geographic Location
The G. chaseni snake is found only on the island of Borneo. Specifically, it lives in northern Sabah, which is part of Malaysia. It is found around the area of Mount Kinabalu. The first place where this snake was found was "Kiau," which is at the foot of Mount Kinabalu, about 915 meters (3,000 feet) high. Its known home range is within the Crocker Range National Park and Kinabalu National Park.
What Kind of Home Does it Like?
Forest Habitat
This snake lives in submontane forests. These are forests found on the lower slopes of mountains. It likes to live in the leaf litter on the forest floor. You can find it at elevations between 915 and 1,550 meters (about 3,000 to 5,085 feet) above sea level.
How Does it Behave?
Daily Habits
The G. chaseni snake spends most of its time on the ground. It is mainly nocturnal, which means it is most active at night.
How Does it Have Babies?
Reproduction Method
The G. chaseni is viviparous. This means that the mother snake gives birth to live young, instead of laying eggs.
