Tuesday 18 June
Sind saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus sochureki)
Sind saw-scaled viper fact file
- Description
- Biology
- Range
- Habitat
- Status
- Threats
- Conservation
- Find out more
- Glossary
- References
- Print factsheet
Sind saw-scaled viper description
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Family | Viperidae |
| Genus | Echis (1) |
Despite its relatively small size, the Sind saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus sochureki) is considered a dangerous snake, with an aggressive temperament, a lightning-fast strike and powerful venom (2). The Sind saw-scaled viper is distinguished by a prominent, dark brown, arrow-shaped marking on the head and is covered in small, heavily keeled scales. Three or four enlarged scales form a slight ridge above each eye. The body is tan, greyish or brown in colour, with a row of 30 whitish blotches with dark brown edges running along the back, while the underside is whitish with dark grey spots (2) (3).
- Synonyms
- Echis sochureki.
- Size
- Length: up to 61 cm (2)
-
International Reptile Conservation Foundation:
http://www.ircf.org -
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi:
http://www.ead.ae/en - Arthropods
- A very diverse phylum (a major grouping of animals) that includes crustaceans, insects and arachnids. All arthropods have paired jointed limbs and a hard external skeleton (exoskeleton).
- Gland
- Organ that makes and secretes substances used by the body.
- Keel
- A projecting ridge along a flat or curved surface, particularly down the middle.
- Viviparous
- Giving birth to live offspring that develop inside the mother’s body.
- ITIS (October, 2010)
- Hellyer, P. and Aspinall, S. (2005) The Emirates: A Natural History. Trident Press Limited, United Arab Emirates.
-
Wildlife of Pakistan (October, 2010)
http://wildlifeofpakistan.com/ReptilesofPakistan/sawscaledviper.htm -
The Reptile Database (October, 2010)
http://www.reptile-database.org/ - Halliday, T. and Adler, K. (2002) The New Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- Rehan, H. (1993) Population structure and behavioural ecology of Echis carinatus sochureki in Sindh (Makli, Thatta). Ph.D. Thesis, University of Karachi, Pakistan.
- view the contents of, and Material on, the website;
- download and retain copies of the Material on their personal systems in digital form in low resolution for their own personal use;
- teachers, lecturers and students may incorporate the Material in their educational material (including, but not limited to, their lesson plans, presentations, worksheets and projects) in hard copy and digital format for use within a registered educational establishment, provided that the integrity of the Material is maintained and that copyright ownership and authorship is appropriately acknowledged by the End User.
More »
Top
Related species
Sind saw-scaled viper biology
Like all species in the family Viperidae, the Sind saw-scaled viper has large venom glands and long, hollow fangs that can be folded against the roof of the mouth when the mouth is shut (2) (5). An aggressive and efficient predator, it hunts mainly at night, and feeds on toads, lizards, arthropods, bird eggs and nestlings (3). The Sind saw-scaled viper is viviparous and gives birth to between 1 and 28 live young between mid-February and May (3) (6).
The Sind saw-scaled viper is easily provoked and will strike rapidly when it senses danger. When threatened, it first assumes a characteristic defensive position, curling its body into a series of C-shaped coils which are rubbed against each other in opposite directions to produce a loud, rasping warning ‘hiss’ (2) (5).
TopSind saw-scaled viper range
The Sind saw-scaled viper is known from the parts of southern Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iraq, Iran, Oman, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (2) (4).
More »
Top
Species with a similar range
Sind saw-scaled viper habitat
The Sind saw-scaled viper typically inhabits arid regions in sandy, rocky or gravel habitats, in areas of sparse and scrubby vegetation. It occurs from sea level up to elevations of 1,800 metres (2) (3).
More »
Top
Species found in a similar habitat
Sind saw-scaled viper status
The Sind saw-scaled viper has yet to be classified by the IUCN.
TopSind saw-scaled viper threats
There are currently no known threats to the Sind saw-scaled viper.
TopSind saw-scaled viper conservation
There are no known conservation measures in place for the Sind saw-scaled viper.
|
View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. |
|
Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi is a principal sponsor of ARKive. EAD is working to protect and conserve the environment as well as promoting sustainable development in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. |
Find out more
To learn more about reptile conservation visit:
To learn more about conservation in the Arabian Gulf visit:
Authentication
This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk
Glossary
References
More »Related species
This species is featured in:
This species is featured in Jewels of the UAE, which showcases biodiversity found in the United Arab Emirates in association with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.
Sign up to our newsletter
Get the latest wild news direct to your inbox.
Get involved
ARKive relies on its media donors to donate photos and videos. Can you help? There are plenty of other ways you can get involved too!
Saturday 15 June
Saturday 15 June
X
Close
Close
Image credit
Head of Sind saw-scaled viper
© Tony Phelps / naturepl.com
Nature Picture Library
5a Great George Street
Bristol
BS1 5RR
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 117 911 4675
Fax: +44 (0) 117 911 4699
info@naturepl.com
http://www.naturepl.com
X
Close
Close
Link to this photo
Embed this ARKive thumbnail link by copying and pasting the code below.
Terms of Use - The displayed thumbnail may be used as a link from your website to ARKive's online content for private, scientific, conservation or educational purposes only. It may NOT be used within Apps.
Read more about
X
Close
Close
MyARKive
MyARKive offers the scrapbook feature to signed-up members, allowing you to organize your favourite ARKive images and videos and share them with friends.
X
Close
Close
Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials
Copyright in this website and materials contained on this website (Material) belongs to Wildscreen or its licensors.
Visitors to this website (End Users) are entitled to:
End Users shall not copy or otherwise extract, alter or manipulate Material other than as permitted in these Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials.
Additional use of flagged material
Green flagged material 
Certain Material on this website (Licence 4 Material) displays a green flag next to the Material and is available for not-for-profit conservation or educational use. This material may be used by End Users, who are individuals or organisations that are in our opinion not-for-profit, for their not-for-profit conservation or not-for-profit educational purposes. Low resolution, watermarked images may be copied from this website by such End Users for such purposes. If you require high resolution or non-watermarked versions of the Material, please contact Wildscreen with details of your proposed use.
Creative commons material
Certain Material on this website has been licensed to Wildscreen under a Creative Commons Licence. These images are clearly marked with the Creative Commons buttons and may be used by End Users only in the way allowed by the specific Creative Commons Licence under which they have been submitted. Please see http://creativecommons.org for details.
Any other use
Please contact the copyright owners directly (copyright and contact details are shown for each media item) to negotiate terms and conditions for any use of Material other than those expressly permitted above. Please note that many of the contributors to ARKive are commercial operators and may request a fee for such use.
Save as permitted above, no person or organisation is permitted to incorporate any copyright material from this website into any other work or publication in any format (this includes but is not limited to: websites, Apps, CDs, DVDs, intranets, extranets, signage, digital communications or on printed materials for external or other distribution). Use of the Material for promotional, administrative or for-profit purposes is not permitted.