Читать книгу Venoms: Venomous Animals and Antivenomous Serum-therapeutics - A. Calmette - Страница 27

This genus is represented by a single species (Pseudocerastes persicus), which appears to be exclusively confined to Persia.

The head is very distinct from the neck, and covered with small imbricate scales; the eyes, which are small, have vertical pupils; they are separated from the lips by small scales. The nostrils are directed upwards and outwards. The snout is very short and rounded. The cylindrical body has 23–25 rows of scales; 151–156 ventrals; 43–49 subcaudals.

Fig. 29.—Pseudocerastes persicus. (After Duméril and Bibron.)

The coloration is gray or brown, with four series of large black spots, and the head exhibits two longitudinal black streaks behind the eyes. The belly is whitish, dotted with black.

Total length, 890 millimetres; tail 110.