Trimeresurus erythrurus (Cantor, 1839)

Hakim, Jonathan, Trageser, Scott J., Ghose, Animesh, Rashid, Sheikh Muhammad Abdur & Rahman, Shahriar Caesar, 2020, Amphibians and reptiles from Lawachara National Park in Bangladesh, Check List 16 (5), pp. 1239-1268 : 1262

Trimeresurus erythrurus (Cantor, 1839)

Figure 10D

Material examined. BANGLADESH • 1 subadult; Sylhet Division, Moulvibazar District, Kamalganj Upazila, LNP; trail behind Janki Chora ; 24°18.61′N, 091°46.71′E; 13 Jun. 2014; 19:42; photo voucher ZRC ( IMG) 2.378 .

Identification. This is a medium-sized viper identified by its green color, brown-spotted tail, keeled temporal scales, and 23 midbody scale rows ( Das 2010).

Taxonomic notes. Trimeresurus were common in the roadkill survey, but many specimens were too damaged to identify to species, and the rest were identified at the time as T. albolabris , which we now believe were misidentifications. The Trimeresurus found in LNP during the nocturnal visual surveys since 2014 were definitively identified as T. erythrurus , but it is possible that additional green pit viper species are present in the park.

Habitat. This species was typically encountered in mature and degraded forest, although several specimens also showed up in tea plantations. It was usually found hanging motionless from low vegetation, waiting for prey. On occasion specimens were found on the ground during heavy rains.