A contribution to the systematics of two commonly confused pitvipers from the Sunda Region: Trimeresurus hageni and T. sumatranus

Abstract

The systematics of two Southeast Asian green pitviper species, Trimeresurus hageni and T. sumatranus, are investigated by canonical variate analysis. Preliminary results reveal two morphological forms corresponding to mainly T. hageni in West Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore and T. sumatranus in Borneo. Allopatric populations of both taxa are examined from Sumatra. Geographic variation is present in both species, which are distinguished mainly by head scalation, but also by colour and pattern.