Protobothrops cornutus

Protobothrops cornutus
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)1
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Protobothrops
Species:	P. cornutus
Binomial name
Protobothrops cornutus (M. A. Smith, 1930)
Synonyms2
Trimeresurus cornutus M. A. Smith, 1930 Ceratrimeresurus shenlii Liang & Liu, 2003 Protobothrops cornutus – Herrmann et al., 2004

Protobothrops cornutus, commonly known as the horned pit viper¹ or Fan-Si-Pan horned pit viper,³ is a pit viper species found in northern and central Vietnam and in southern China (Guangdong).¹² No subspecies are currently recognized.²

Its maximum length is usually around 60-90cm. It has a long body, with a flat oblong trangular head differentiated from the body, with small scales. Its nostril scale is also triangular. ⁴ It was found to exhibit the largest attack acceleration among snakes, about 18g.⁵

The type locality given is "Fan-si-pan mountains, Tonkin, Indo-China"²⁶ (=Mount Fansipan).³ It is currently known from several provinces in Vietnam (Lao Cai Province, Ha Giang Province, Quang Binh Province, Hue City, Lang Son Province).¹ The only Chinese record is from Ruyuan Yao Autonomous County in northern Guangdong and was originally described as a new species, Ceratrimeresurus shenlii.¹²

It occurs in evergreen forest on both karst and granitic outcrops at elevations of 250–2,000 m (820–6,560 ft) above sea level.¹

Herrmann et al. (2004) moved this species to the genus Protobothrops based on external and hemipenal morphology, as well as molecular data.³