The tribe Atherini was erected by Donald Broadley in 1996 to include the African viper genera Adenorhinos, Atheris, Montatheris, and Proatheris. These African endemics are characterized by viviparity, small keeled head shields, vertical pupils, no splenial element in the mandible, a long and narrow postorbital bone, and no supranasal sac.

As with many snake genera the taxonomy of the genus Atheris has been updated. Two terrestrial species formerly included in this genus, hindii and superciliaris, have undergone the most taxonomic revision and were afforded their own monotypic genera (Montatheris and Proatheris, respectively) by Broadley's 1996 review of the Atherini tribe [see Bibliography]. A new species from Uganda closely related to Atheris hispida was later added (Atheris acuminata Broadley 1998) and later Lawson (1999) named a new species in Broadley's honor (Atheris broadleyi). The "species" Atheris anisolepis has become a junior synonym of A. squamigera due to a recent redescription of the latter species (Lawson, 2000). A recent paper (Lawson, Noonan, & Ustach, 2001) resurrected the species Atheris subocularis Fischer. This species has long been in synonymy with A. squamigera and is distribution lies completely within that of A. squamigera. For more information see Nomenclature section below.

The bush viper genus Atheris consists of several specific names that have confused most people. For example, the variable bush viper was originally described as Echis squamigera. Later it was placed in the genus Atheris and the specific name 'squamiger' fell into common use. Dr. Broadley has argued that the generic name Atheris was treated as feminine by Cope (1862) and therefore the proper declination of the specific name is squamigera. The same holds true for ceratophora and hispida. This was confirmed in 1991 by the International Commision of Zoological Nomenclature (Opinion 1634). Therefore, the correct species eptithets are ceratophora, hispida, and squamigera. Regardless of these distinctions, these three species are commonly referred to as ceratophorus, hispidus, and squamiger, particularly in the reptile trade. Visit the EMBL Reptile Database for a second source of the corrected names.

I have also used common names for those less familiar with scientific names and binomial nomenclature. The species descriptions have additional common names where applicable.

These are the current species of the Atherini tribe with corrected spelling and new genera. Note: The name following the species is the individual who originally described the species (or genus). If there are no parentheses around the name and date the species was described using the current scientific name. If there are parentheses the species was originally described with a different name. For example, the genus Adenorhinos was described in 1965 by Marx and Rabb, so Loveridge, in 1930, used a different name for Adenorhinos barbouri (Atheris barbouri).

Genus Adenorhinos  Marx & Rabb, 1965

Adenorhinos barbouri  (Loveridge, 1930)
Barbour's Short-headed Viper

Genus Atheris  Cope, 1862

Atheris acuminata  Broadley, 1998
Acuminate Bush Viper

Atheris broadleyi  Lawson, 1999
Broadley's Bush Viper

Atheris ceratophora  Werner, 1895
Horned Bush Viper

Atheris chlorechis  (Pel, 1851)
Western Bush Viper

Atheris desaixi  Ashe, 1968
Mount Kenya Bush Viper

Atheris hispida  Laurent, 1955
Bristly Bush Viper

Atheris katangensis  Witte, 1953
Upemba Bush Viper

Atheris nitschei  Tornier, 1902
Great Lakes Bush Viper

Atheris rungweensis  Bogert, 1940
Rungwe Bush Viper

Atheris squamigera  (Hallowell, 1854)
Variable Bush Viper

Atheris subocularis  Fischer, 1888
Southwest Cameroon Bush Viper

Genus Montatheris  Broadley, 1996

Montatheris hindii  (Boulenger, 1910)
Montane Viper

Genus Proatheris  Broadley, 1996

Proatheris superciliaris  (Peters, 1854)
Lowland Viper

 

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