Echis coloratus

Echis coloratus, known as the painted saw-scaled viper,^[3] painted carpet viper, Burton's carpet viper,^[4] and by other common names, is a highly venomous viper species endemic to the Middle East and Egypt.^[2] No subspecies are currently recognized.^[5]

Echis coloratus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Echis
Species:	E. coloratus
Binomial name
Echis coloratus Günther, 1878
Synonyms[2]
Echis froenata A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854 E[chis]. carinata var. frenata — Jan, 1863 Echis colorata Günther, 1878 Echis frenata — Pfeffer, 1893 Echis coloratus — Boulenger, 1896 Echis coloratus coloratus — Cherlin, 1983 Echis [(Turanechis)] froenatus — Cherlin, 1990

Description

It grows to a maximum total length (body + tail) of 75 cm (30 in).^[3]

Common names

Echis coloratus from Saudi Arabia

Painted saw-scaled viper,^[3] painted carpet viper, Burton's carpet viper,^[4] Palestine saw-scaled viper,^[6] Arabian saw-scaled viper,^[7] Mid-East saw-scaled viper.^[7]

Geographic range

It is found in the Middle East in Sinai, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. On the Arabian Peninsula it has been recorded from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman. In Africa it occurs in eastern Egypt east of the Nile and as far south as the 24^th parallel.

The type locality given is "on Jebel Shárr, at an altitude of 4500 feet ... Midian" (Saudi Arabia, 1371 m altitude).^[2]

Habitat

It occurs in rocky deserts, from sea level to altitudes as high as 2,500 m (8,200 ft). It is not found in sandy deserts.^[4]

Taxonomy

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.^[2]