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

Abstract

JOORIS, R., and FOURMY, R. 1996. An analysis of scutellation in populations of Cerastes vipera (Linnaeus, 1758): scale characters co-vary with environmental temperature. Afr. J. Herpetol. 45(2): 59–67. Scutellation in populations of Cerastes vipera varies geographically. Specimens occurring in more southern and warmer regions are characterized by a higher number of ventrals, 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-Hoggar (with a high number of ventrals) and their northeastern Saharo-Mediterranean conspecifics (with a low number of ventrals) is postulated, but must be confirmed with supplementary genotypic methods.