Bitis albanica

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Viperoidea
Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Orthokaryota Cladus: Neokaryota Cladus: Scotokaryota Cladus: Podiata Cladus: Amorphea Cladus: Obazoa Cladus: Opisthokonta Cladus: Holozoa Cladus: Filozoa Cladus: Choanozoa Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: ParaHoxozoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Superphylum: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Cladus: Olfactores Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Cladus: Eugnathostomata Cladus: Osteichthyes Cladus: Sarcopterygii Cladus: Rhipidistia Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes Cladus: Elpistostegalia Cladus: Stegocephali Cladus: Tetrapoda Cladus: Reptiliomorpha Cladus: Amniota Cladus: Sauropsida Classis: Reptilia Cladus: Eureptilia Cladus: Romeriida Cladus: Diapsida Cladus: Neoreptilia Cladus: Parapleurota Cladus: Neodiapsida Cladus: Sauria Cladus: Lepidosauromorpha Subclassis: Lepidosauria Ordo: Squamata Cladus: Toxicofera Subordo: Serpentes Cladus: Caenophidia Superfamilia: Viperoidea

Familia: Viperidae
Subfamilia: Viperinae
Genus: Bitis
Subgenus: Bitis (Calechidna)
Species: Bitis albanica

Bitis albanica Hewitt, 1937

Lectotype: PEM 8279 (formerly AMG 6860), adult ♂, colected by W. Pannell, date unknown. [designated by Branch (1999: 57)]
Type locality: “Kleinpoort, near Committees, 25 km ENE of Grahamstown (33°14’S, 26°46’E; 3326BB), Grahamstown District, Eastern Cape Prov., South Africa” via lectotype selection.
Paralectotypes (n=4): PEM R8278 (formerly AMG 7135), same data as for the lectotype; PEM R8281 (formerly AMG 664), Brakkloof, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, collected by G. White on 1 October 1892; PEM R8280 (formerly AMG 453). no locality (Springvale or Brakkloos), Eastern Cape Province, South Africa; and PEM R1183, The Dene (“Die Duine), Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Bitis cornuta albanica Hewitt, 1937: 76 [original combination, as subspcies]
Bitis albanica — Branch, 1999: 44 [subsequent combination, elevated to species]

Hewitt, J. 1937. A Guide to the Vertebrate Fauna of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Part II: Reptiles, Amphibians, and Freshwater Fishes. Albany Museum: Grahamstown. vii + 141 pp.
Branch, W.R. 1999. Dwarf adders of the Bitis cornuta-inornata complex (Serptentes: Viperidae) in Southern Africa. Kaupia 8: 39–63.

Conradie, W., Branch, W.R. & Watson, G. 2019. Type specimens in the Port Elizabeth Museum, South Africa, including the historically important Albany Museum collection. Part 2: Reptiles (Squamata). Zootaxa 4576(1): 1–45. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4576.1.1 Reference page.

Tolley, K.A., Alexander, G.J., Weeber, J., Conradie, W., Pietersen, D., Maritz, B. & Turner, A.A. 2022. IUCN: Bitis albanica (Endangered). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T22473767A197414561. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T22473767A197414561.en. Accessed on 25 January 2026.