An analysis of scutellation in populations of Cerastes vipera (Linnaeus, 1758): Scale characters co-vary with environmental temperature

Abstract

An analysis of scutellation in populations of Cerastes vipera (Linnaeus, 1758): scale characters co-vary with environmental temperature. Afr. 1. Herpetol. 45(2): 59-67. Scutellation in populations ofCerastes vipera varies geographically. Specimens occurring in more southern and wanner regions are characterized by a higher number of ventraIs, preventrals and lateral head scales. Some morphological characters (e.g. subcaudals and interoculars) are not correlated geographically with temperature profiles. Correlation of scale characters with temperature does not exclude a genetical basis. A possible genetic divergence between populations of the great sand dunes west of Chaanba-Tademait-lloggar (with a high number of ventraIs) and their northeastern Saharo-Mediterranean conspecifics (with a low number ofventraIs) is postulated, but must be confinned with supplementary genotypic methods.