{{Short description|Species of snake}} {{Speciesbox | status = EN | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=iucn>[[species:Pratyush P. Mohapatra|Mohapatra P]] (2021). "''Trimeresurus cantori'' ". The [[IUCN]] Red List of Threatened Species 2021: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T194059A2295681.en. Accessed on 08 January 2022.</ref> | image = | genus = Trimeresurus | species = cantori | authority = ([[Edward Blyth|Blyth]], 1846) | synonyms = *''Trigonocephalus Cantori'' <br>{{small|Blyth, 1846}} *''Trimesurus viridis'' var. ''Cantori'' <br>{{small|— Blyth, 1861}} *''Trim''[''eresurus'']. ''Cantori'' <br>{{small|— [[Ferdinand Stoliczka|Stoliczka]], 1870}} *''Trimeresurus Cantoris'' <br>{{small|Stoliczka, 1870}} *''Lachesis cantoris'' <br>{{small|— [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1896}} *''Trimeresurus cantori'' <br>{{small|— [[Malcolm Arthur Smith|M.A. Smith]], 1943}}<ref name=McD99>[[Roy Wallace McDiarmid|McDiarmid RW]], [[Jonathan A. Campbell|Campbell JA]], [[T'Shaka A. Touré|Touré TA]] (1999). ''Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1''. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. {{ISBN|1-893777-00-6}} (series). {{ISBN|1-893777-01-4}} (volume).</ref> *''Cryptelytrops cantori'' <br>{{small|— [[species:Anita Malhotra|Malhotra]] & [[species:Roger S. Thorpe|Thorpe]], 2004}} *''Trimeresurus (Trimeresurus) cantori'' <br>{{small|— [[species:Patrick David|David]] et al., 2011}}<ref name=RDB>{{EMBL species|genus=Trimeresurus|species=cantori}} www.reptile-database.org.</ref> }}

'''''Trimeresurus cantori''''', also [[Common name|commonly known]] as '''Cantor's pit viper'''<ref name=Bro73>[[John Haynes Brown|Brown, John Haynes]] (1973). ''Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes''. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. {{ISBN|0-398-02808-7}}.</ref> or '''Cantor's pitviper''',<ref name=Gum04>[[species:Andreas Gumprecht|Gumprecht A]], [[species:Frank Tillack|Tillack F]], [[Nikolai Liutsianovich Orlov|Orlov NL]], [[Ashok Captain|Captain A]], [[Sergei Aleksandrovich Ryabov|Ryabov S]] (2004). ''Asian Pitvipers''. First Edition. Berlin: GeitjeBooks. 368 pp. {{ISBN|3-937975-00-4}}.</ref> is a [[species]] of [[venomous snake|venomous]] [[pit viper]] in the [[subfamily]] Crotalinae of the [[Family (taxonomy)|family]] [[Viperidae]]. The species is native to the [[Nicobar Islands]] and possibly the [[Andaman Islands]] of the eastern [[Indian Ocean]].<ref name="ITIS"/> It was named after [[Theodore Edward Cantor]] (1809–1860), a [[Danes|Danish]] [[naturalist]] serving as a [[surgeon]] with the [[East India Company]] in [[Kolkata|Calcutta]].<ref>[[Bo Beolens|Beolens, Bo]]; [[Michael Watkins (zoologist)|Watkins, Michael]]; [[Michael Grayson|Grayson, Michael]] (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. (''Trimeresurus cantori'', p. 47).</ref> No [[subspecies]] are recognized as being valid.<ref name=ITIS>{{ITIS|id=634907|taxon=''Trimeresurus cantori ''|accessdate=27 September 2006}}</ref>

==Geographic range== ''Trimeresurus cantori'' is found in the [[Nicobar Islands]] (which are in the [[Bay of Bengal]]), [[India]], and possibly in the [[Andaman Islands]]. The [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] given is "Nicobars".<ref name=McD99/>

==Description== Adults of ''Trimeresurus cantori'' may attain a [[Snout-vent length|snout-to-vent length]] (SVL) of {{convert|115|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Das2002>[[:fr:Indraneil Das|Das I]] (2002). ''A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of India''. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 144 pp. {{ISBN|0-88359-056-5}}. (''Trimeresurus cantori'', p. 65).</ref> [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]] reported that an adult female with a total length (tail included) of {{convert|102|cm|in|abbr=on}} had a tail {{convert|14|cm|in|abbr=on}} long.<ref name=Blgr1896>[[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger GA]] (1896). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the ... Viperidæ''. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I–XXV. (''Lachesis cantoris'', p. 551).</ref>

This species varies in pattern and color. [[Dorsum (anatomy)|Dorsally]], it may be green, dark brown, or light brown. Green individuals may have yellow spots, and brown specimens may have darker spots. Running along each side of the head, below the eye and above the upper lip, is a cream-colored stripe. There is also a cream-colored stripe on the first row of [[dorsal scales]] on each side of the body. Ventrally, it is greenish or cream-colored, with some brown spots on the underside of the tail.<ref name=Das2002/>

The weakly [[Keeled scales|keeled]] dorsal scales are arranged in 27–31 rows at midbody. The [[Ventral scales|ventrals]] number 174–184. The anal plate is entire, and the [[Subcaudal scales|subcaudals]], which are divided (paired), number 55–76.<ref name=Blgr1896/>

==Habitat== The preferred natural [[habitat]] of ''Trimeresurus cantori'' is [[forest]], at altitudes from sea level to {{convert|200|m|ft|abbr=on}}, but it has also been found in coconut plantations and rural gardens.<ref name=iucn/>

==Behavior== ''Trimeresurus cantori'' is [[Nocturnality|nocturnal]] and will hunt near houses.<ref name=Das2002/>

==Diet== ''Trimeresurus cantori'' [[Predation|preys]] upon small [[mammal]]s and [[bird]]s.<ref name="Das2002"/>

==Venom== The species ''Trimeresurus cantori'' possesses a potent [[venom]], and some of its bites to humans have resulted in fatalities.<ref name=Das2002/>

==Reproduction== ''Trimeresurus cantori'' is [[Viviparity|viviparous]].<ref name=RDB/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== {{refbegin}} *[[Edward Blyth|Blyth E]] (1846). "Notes on the Fauna of the Nicobar Islands". ''Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal'' '''15''': 367–379. (''Trigonocephalus cantori'', new species, p.&nbsp;377). *[[Indraneil Das|Das I]] (1999). "Biogeography of the amphibians and reptiles of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India". pp.&nbsp;43–77. '''''In'':''' Ota H (editor) (1999). ''Tropical Island Herpetofauna: Origin, Current Diversity, and Conservation''. Amsterdam: Elsevier. 353 pp. {{ISBN|978-0444501950}}. *[[species:Christopher L. Parkinson|Parkinson CL]] (1999). "Molecular systematics and biogeographical history of Pit Vipers as determined by mitochondrial ribosomal DNA sequences". ''Copeia'' '''1999''' (3): 576–586. {{refend}}

{{Trimeresurus}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q3011829}}

[[Category:Trimeresurus|cantori]] [[Category:Reptiles described in 1846]] [[Category:Snakes of India]] [[Category:Endemic fauna of the Nicobar Islands]] [[Category:Taxa named by Edward Blyth]]