Echis megalocephalus

Echis megalocephalus, also known commonly as the big-headed carpet viper^[2] and Cherlin's saw-scaled viper,^[3] is a species of venomous snake in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to one island in the Red Sea off the coast of Eritrea.^[1] There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.^[4]

Echis megalocephalus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Echis
Species:	E. megalocephalus
Binomial name
Echis megalocephalus Cherlin, 1990
Synonyms[1]
Echis [(Toxicoa)] megalocephalus Cherlin, 1990 Echis megalocephalus — Golay et al., 1993

Description

E. megalocephalus grows to a total length (including tail) of 54–62 cm (21–24 in), which is relatively large in comparison to other Echis species. The head is similar to that of E. pyramidum. Midbody, there are 31 rows of dorsal scales. The ventrals number 186–202, and the subcaudals 33–37. The color pattern varies, but generally consists of a series of pale, oblique, dorsal blotches set against a darker ground color.^[2]

Geographic range

E. megalocephalus is known only from the type locality, Nokra (Nocra) Island, which is part of the Dahlak Archipelago, off the coast of Eritrea in the Red Sea.^[1]

Reproduction

E. megalocephalus is oviparous.^[3]