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| Top. Trimeresurus gunaleni. Below its habitat |
Vogel et al. (2014) investigated morphological variation
in 126 specimens from at least 67 populations of Trimeresurus sumatranus. They
found two distinct taxa: Trimeresurus
sumatranus (Raffles) and Trimeresurus
gunaleni sp. nov. They selected a neotype for Trimeresurus sumatranus and restricted its type locality to the
vicinity of Bengkulu, Bengkulu Province, Sumatra. The second taxon Trimeresurus gunaleni represents a
distinct, previously unnamed species. The holotype of Trimeresurus gunaleni is from Mt. Sibayak, ca.
1,500–2,200 m ASL, west of Brastagi (Berastagi), Karo Regency (Kabupaten Karo),
Sumatera Utara Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. The new species differs
from Trimeresurus sumatranus by a
lower number of ventrals in males (162–179 against 178–185) and females
(164–171 vs. 175–191); a distinctly longer tail in males; the also differ in the
color of the tail, the color of the eyes: (green in the new species, vs. dark
grey in T. sumatranus), the color of
the ventrals, which are green with a pale posterior suture in the new species
and pale with dark posterior suture in T.
sumatranus. The new species Trimeresurus
gunaleni lives at higher elevations than T. sumatranus and seems to be endemic to the higher mountain ranges
of western Sumatra and inhabits regions typically covered with
tropical moist montane forests, from 1,500 m to as high as at least 2,000 m,
perhaps as much as 2,200 m, where it has been observed by local insect
collectors. There is no record of populations lower than 1,500 m. On Mount
Sibayak, Trimeresurus hageni occurs
at elevation of 500 m, and Tropidolaemus wagleri at 200 m. Trimeresurus
gunaleni is clearly isolated as a high montane dweller. The female
holotype of T. gunaleni was collected during the daytime in dense humid
montane forest scattered with tiny springs. The snake was resting on the
ground under tree roots. In another instance, a male was seen perched at night
on a tree branch about two meters above the ground. None of the specimens were
found.
Citation.
Vogle G,
David P, Sidik I. (2014)
On Trimeresurus sumatranus
(Raffles, 1822), with the designation of a neotype and the description of a new
species of pitviper from Sumatra (Squamata: Viperidae: Crotalinae). Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 8(2): 1–29.