New classification for North American pit vipers

SCReptiles · 07-16-03, 10:34 AM

Last night Joe and I entertained Dr Gordon Schuett at our building. Gordon is the world’s foremost authority on Copperheads and one of the foremost authorities on North American pit vipers in general. Gordon is currently the Curator of Herpetology at Zoo Atlanta and Adjunct Professor of Biology at Georgia State University. He has been publish in over 50 scientific journals and written and edited numerous books, including Biology of Vipers . Currently he is researching genetics of North American pits for re-classification. He has produced some fascinating research. At the conclusion of this study, the Canebrake will once again be recognized as a sub-species, if not its own species. Also the cottonmouth will be divided into at least 2 species and perhaps even 3.

fatboy · 07-16-03, 12:39 PM

Awesome Chuck. Glad to see everyone helping out.

Mike177 · 07-16-03, 01:05 PM

Ya thats Great! when you get everything final post what their new Names will be!

BWSmith · 07-16-03, 01:27 PM

Crotalus atricaudatus? Cool! We'll see how long it takes to catch on. I am still struglging with the lack of american Elaphe

Hamster of Borg · 07-16-03, 02:24 PM

Won't bother me any, those of us in TX consider the canebrake to be different anyway.

Though, the Elaphe thing has everyone thrown for a loop I think.

I definitely want to see the paper, nice that someone is actively doing work.

Ham

BWSmith · 07-16-03, 02:35 PM

See if Gordon can get a copy of the Canebrake venom research. I have not heard back from DNR yet.

SCReptiles · 07-16-03, 02:40 PM

Quote:

See if Gordon can get a copy of the Canebrake venom research.

I asked him about it. He said that he wasn’t familiar with the research you were talking about. As far as he knows, the Jasper County cane is still the hottest. I imagine that once the research is complete, his office will get one of the first releases, so I will follow up with him.