# Micrelaps muelleri > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Micrelaps_muelleri > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Micrelaps_muelleri.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micrelaps_muelleri > Source revision: 1354649858 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Species of snake}} {{Speciesbox | image = מחרוזן הטבעות (דו-גוני).jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = {{cite iucn |author1=Disi, M.A.M. |author1-link=species:Ahmad Mohammed Mousa Disi |author2=Hraoui-Bloquet, S. |author2-link=species:Souad Hraoui-Bloquet |author3=Sadek, R. |author3-link=species:Riyad Sadek |author4=Werner, Y. |author4-link=Yehudah L. Werner |author5=Crochet, P.-A. |author5-link=species:Pierre-André Crochet |date=2006 |title=''Micrelaps muelleri '' |volume=2006 |article-number=e.T61536A12509682 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2006.RLTS.T61536A12509682.en |access-date=15 November 2021}} | genus = Micrelaps | species = muelleri | authority = [Boettger](/source/Oskar_Boettger), 1880 | synonyms = *''Micrelaps tchernovi''
{{small|[Y. Werner](/source/Yehudah_L._Werner), 2006}} | synonyms_ref = }} :'''''Common names:''' Müller's black-headed snake, Mueller's two-headed snake, Muller's snake.'' '''''Micrelaps muelleri''''' is a [species](/source/species) of mildly [venomous](/source/venomous_snake) [rear-fanged](/source/Opisthoglyphous) snake in the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Micrelapidae](/source/Micrelapidae). The species is [endemic](/source/Endemism) to the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East). ==Taxonomy== ''Micrelaps muelleri'' is the [type species](/source/type_species) for the [genus](/source/genus) ''[Micrelaps](/source/Micrelaps)''. There are no [subspecies](/source/subspecies) of ''M. muelleri'' that are recognized as being valid. The former species ''M. tchernovi'' was synonymized with ''M. muelleri'' by [Jamison](/source/species%3ASimon_Jamison) et al. in 2020. ==Etymology== The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)), ''muelleri'', is in honor of [Swiss](/source/Switzerland) [herpetologist](/source/herpetologist) [Fritz Müller](/source/Fritz_M%C3%BCller_(doctor)).[Beolens, Bo](/source/Bo_Beolens); [Watkins, Michael](/source/Michael_Watkins_(zoologist)); [Grayson, Michael](/source/Michael_Grayson) (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. (''Micrelaps muelleri'', p. 184). ==Geographic range== ''Micrelaps muelleri'' is found in [Israel](/source/Israel), [Jordan](/source/Jordan), [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon), and [Syria](/source/Syria).{{NRDB species |genus=Micrelaps |species=muelleri |accessdate=16 February 2021}} ==Description== ''Micrelaps muelleri'' is black, with whitish zigzag-edged rings, which may be narrower or wider than the spaces between them, mostly interrupted ventrally. Adults may attain a total length of {{convert|40.5|cm|in|abbr=on}}, which includes a tail {{convert|3|cm|in|abbr=on}} long. The [dorsal scales](/source/dorsal_scales) are smooth, without apical pits, and arranged in 15 rows at midbody. The [ventrals](/source/Ventral_scales) number 251–275. The [anal plate](/source/Anal_scale) is divided. The [subcaudals](/source/Subcaudal_scales), which are also divided, number 26–32. The head is very flattened. The [rostral](/source/Rostral_scale) is nearly twice as broad as deep, just visible from above. The [internasals](/source/Internasal_scales) are a little broader than long, shorter than the [prefrontals](/source/Prefrontal_scales). The [frontal](/source/Frontal_scale) is small, not broader than the [supraocular](/source/Ocular_scales), {{frac|1|2|3}} times as long as broad, hardly as long as its distance from the rostral, half as long as the [parietals](/source/Parietal_scales). Each supraocular is as long as broad. A small postocular is in contact with the first [temporal](/source/Temporal_scales). The temporals are arranged 1+1 or 1+2. There are seven [upper labials](/source/Labial_scale), the third and fourth entering the eye. There are three or four lower labials in contact with the anterior [chin shield](/source/Chin_shields). The anterior chin shields are as long as the posterior chin shields.[Boulenger GA](/source/George_Albert_Boulenger) (1896). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ), Amblycephalidæ, and Viperidæ''. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I–XXV. (''Micrelaps muelleri'', p. 249). ==Reproduction== ''Micrelaps muelleri'' is [oviparous](/source/Oviparity). ==Habitat== The preferred [habitat](/source/habitat)s of ''M. muelleri'' include [Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation](/source/Mediterranean_forests%2C_woodlands%2C_and_scrub), and arable land, and it has been found in villages. ==Conservation status== ''Micrelaps muelleri'' is classified as "[least concern](/source/Least-concern_species)" (LC) according to the [IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List_of_Threatened_Species). Although its range is relatively restricted, there are not believed to be major threats to it. It is present in some protected areas. ==References== {{Reflist|refs= {{cite web |url=https://www.herpmapper.org/taxon/micrelaps_muelleri |title=Mueller's Two-headed Snake, ''Micrelaps muelleri '' |publisher=HerpMapper |access-date=16 February 2021}} }} ==Further reading== *{{cite journal |last1=Bischoff |first1=W. |author1-link=species:Wolfgang Bischoff |last2=Schmidtler |first2=J.F. |author2-link=species:Josef Friedrich Schmidtler |title=''Nach 115 Jahren in Syrien wiedergefunden: ''Micrelaps muelleri'' Böttger, 1880 (Serpentes: Atractaspidae)'' |journal=Salamandra |date=1997 |volume=33 |issue=1 |pages=25–32}} (in German). *[Böttger O](/source/Oskar_Boettger) (1880). "''Die Reptilien und Amphibien von Syrien, Palaestina und Cypern'' ". ''Bericht über die Senckenbergische naturforschende Gesellschaft in Frankurt am Main'' '''1880''': 132–219. (''Micrelaps muelleri'', new species, pp. 137–138). (In [German](/source/German_language) and [Latin](/source/Latin)). *{{cite journal |last1=Jamison |first1=S. |author1-link=species:Simon Jamison |last2=Maza |first2=E. |author2-link=species:Erez Maza |last3=Sinaiko |first3=G. |author3-link=species:Guy Sinaiko |last4=Tamar |first4=K. |author4-link=species:Karin Tamar |last5=Slavenko |first5=A. |author5-link=species:Alez Slavenko |last6=Meiri |first6=S. |author6-link=species:Shai Meiri |title=To be or not to be ''tchernovi'': a taxonomic revision of the snake genus ''Micrelaps'' (Squamata: Serpentes), in Israel |journal=Zootaxa |date=2020 |volume=4881 |issue=2 |pages=290–306}} *{{cite book |last1=Sindaco |first1=R. |author1-link=species:Roberto Sindaco |last2=Venchi |first2=A. |author2-link=species:Alberto Venchi |last3=Grieco |first3=C. |author3-link=species:Cristina Grieco |title=The Reptiles of the Western Palearctic: 2. Annotated checklist and distributional atlas of the snakes of Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia, with an update to the Vol. 1. ''(Monographs of the ''Societas Herpetologica Italica'')'' |date=2013 |publisher=Edizioni Belvedere |location=Latina, Italy |isbn=978-8889504345}} 544 pp. {{Taxonbar|from=Q1517893}} Category:Atractaspididae Category:Snakes of Asia Category:Snakes of Jordan Category:Reptiles of Syria Category:Taxa named by Oskar Boettger Category:Reptiles described in 1880 Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Micrelaps muelleri](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micrelaps_muelleri) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micrelaps_muelleri?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.