Protobothrops mangshanensis
| Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Family |
| ANIMALIA |
CHORDATA |
REPTILIA |
SQUAMATA |
VIPERIDAE |
| Scientific Name: |
Protobothrops mangshanensis |
| Species Authority: |
(Zhao, 1990) |
Common Name/s:
| English |
– |
Mang Mountain Pit Viper, Mangshan Pit Viper, Mt. Mang Pit Viper |
|
| Synonym/s: |
Trimeresurus mangshanensis Zhao, 1990
Zhaoermia mangshanensis (Zhao, 1990)
|
Assessment Information
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| Red List Category & Criteria: |
Endangered
B1ab(v)+2ab(v)
ver 3.1
|
| Year Published: |
2012 |
| Assessor/s: |
Zhou, Z. |
| Reviewer/s: |
Cox, N.A. & Bauder, J. |
| Contributor/s: |
|
Justification:
Listed as Endangered on the basis that this species has an extent of occurrence and area of occupancy both unlikely to exceed 300 km², it is known from two locations at risk from harvesting for the international pet trade, and there is a continuing decline in the number of mature individuals.
|
| History: |
| 1996 |
– |
Vulnerable
|
| 1994 |
– |
Rare
(Groombridge 1994)
|
|
Geographic Range
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| Range Description: |
This species is known only from the type locality of Pingkeng, Mangshan (= Mount Mang), Hunan Province and Ruyuan, Guangdong Province, China (Zhao and Adler 1993), with an estimated extent of occurrence of 300 km². It has been recorded between 800 and 1,300 m asl. |
| Countries: |
Native: China (Guangdong, Hunan) |
| Range Map: |
Click here to open the map viewer and explore range. |
Population
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| Population: |
State Forestry Administration of China (2009) reported that the population of this rare species has only about 500 individuals.
|
| Population Trend: |
Decreasing
|
Habitat and Ecology
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| Habitat and Ecology: |
This species lives in subtropical needle-leaf and broad-leaf mixture forest. Its diet consists of birds and rodents. It is an oviparous species, laying 20–27 eggs in June and July.
|
| Systems: |
Terrestrial |
| Major Threat(s): |
Illegal collection for the pet trade remains a threat to this species. Between the 1950s and the 1980s, deforestation within the species range significantly reduced its distribution.
|
Conservation Actions
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| Conservation Actions: |
It is present in the Mangshan Natural Nature Reserve. Captive breeding has been successful in Germany, China and the US. Captive breeding started in 1994; by 2010, about 100 individuals had been born in captivity (Chen 2010).
|
