Mamushi
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Mamushi ( Gloydius blomhoffii ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Gloydius blomhoffii | ||||||||||||
| ( Boie , 1826) |
The Mamushi ( Gloydius blomhoffii , Syn. : Agkistrodon blomhoffii ), also Japanese Mamushi , is a species of vipers (Viperidae) and pit vipers (Crotalinae).
features
The Mamushi reaches a total length between 50 and a little more than 60 cm. When viewed from above, the head is triangular in shape and clearly stands out from the neck. The eye has a pupil that is vertically slit when exposed to light. The basic color of the body varies between gray-green, pale green, rust-red, brownish and almost black. The tail has a brownish white tip. Irregular, rhombic spots, which can be black-edged and alternating, appear along the back and sides of the body. They are separated from each other by lighter horizontal stripes. The head is dark brown to black on top and is marked by a dark band between the eyes and the neck. The ventral side shows irregular black and white spots. The venom apparatus consists of venom glands located on the side of the skull (specialized salivary glands ) and movable fangs ( solenoglyph tooth position) in the anterior upper jaw ( maxillary ).
Pholidosis
The pholidosis (scaling) shows the following characteristics:
- on top of the head 9 large shields,
- 7 upper lip shields ( supralabials ),
- 21 rows of keeled trunk scales ( Scuta dorsalia ),
- 135 to 149 abdominal shields ( Scuta ventralia ), smooth and rounded,
- 33 to 44 pairs of under- tail shields ( Scuta subcaudalia ) and
- 1 undivided anal shield ( scutum anale ).
Systematics
The first description of Gloydius blomhoffii was made in 1826 by the zoologist Heinrich Boie under the name Trigonocephalus blomhoffii . As Agkistrodon blomhoffii it was temporarily assigned to the genus Agkistrodon . By McDiarmid , Campbell & Touré it was finally transferred to the genus Gloydius in 1999 .
Two subspecies are currently (as of 2018) listed:
- Gloydius blomhoffii blomhoffii ( Boie 1826)
- Gloydius blomhoffii dubitatus ( Gloyd 1977)
Gloydius brevicaudus and Gloydius ussuriensis were previously also considered subspecies of Gloydius blomhoffii .
distribution
The distribution area includes areas in Japan (main islands and Sado , Izu-Ōshima , Hachijō-jima , Awaji-shima , Oki Islands , Gotō Islands , Amakusa Islands , Mageshima , Tanegashima , Yakushima ), Korea , China ( Liaoning , greater Beijing area and west to Guizhou and Sichuan ) and Russia ( Kunashir , Kuril Islands ). The habitat is represented by swamp areas, meadows, rocky terrain, mountain slopes and sparse forests. It can be found regularly in agricultural areas, which is associated with a high supply of rodents .
Way of life
Gloydius blomhoffii leads a largely diurnal lifestyle. However, it can also be active at dusk or during the night, in particular to avoid summer daytime heat. The range of prey includes small mammals and birds , sometimes also frogs , lizards and other snakes .
Reproduction takes place through ovoviviparia , i.e. co-giving birth. In nature, a female usually gives birth to up to ten young animals every two to three years. These measure around 20 cm at birth. If necessary, the birth is withheld during the winter.
Snake venom
In the event of a poison bite, about 15 mg (dry weight) of poison secretions can be released. It contains fibrinogenases and zinc metalloproteases . Presumably myotoxins , anticoagulant substances and cytotoxins are also included. Furthermore, were neurotoxic properties determined. After a bite, in addition to non-specific general symptoms (nausea, dizziness, abdominal pain, etc.), the following main symptoms can occur in humans: local pain, swelling , blistering , necrosis , consumption coagulopathy and bleeding . Secondarily, damage to the kidneys and even kidney failure can occur. Neurotoxic symptoms are mostly not significant. Effective antivenins such as Freeze-dried Mamushi Antivenom, Equine (Takeda Chemical Industries Ltd., Japan) are available for therapy of poisoning.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Gloydius blomhoffii in The Reptile Database (accessed July 24, 2018)
- ↑ University of Adelaide, Clinical Toxinology Resources: Gloydius blomhoffii (accessed July 24, 2018)
literature
- Ludwig Trutnau: Snakes in the Terrarium Vol. 2: Poisonous snakes . Verlag Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-800-1705-23 .
- Heinrich Boie: Characteristics of some Japanese amphibians . In: Isis von Oken . tape 19 , 1826, pp. 203-216 ( biodiversitylibrary.org ).
