The adder (Vipera berus) in Southern Altay Mountains: population characteristics, distribution, morphology and phylogenetic position.

ABSTRACT: As the most widely distributed snake in Eurasia, the adder (Vipera berus) has been extensively investigated in Europe but poorly understood in Asia. The Southern Altay Mountains represent the adder's southern distribution limit in Central Asia, whereas its population status has never been assessed. We conducted, for the first time, field surveys for the adder at two areas of Southern Altay Mountains using a combination of line transects and random searches. We also described the morphological characteristics of the collected specimens and conducted analyses of external morphology and molecular phylogeny. The results showed that the adder distributed in both survey sites and we recorded a total of 34 sightings. In Kanas river valley, the estimated encounter rate over a total of 137 km trans

SUBMITTER: Cui S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4991858 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature