Hello, I have difficulties to seperate these two subspecies Echis carinatus carinatus and Echis carinatus sochureki. Could you please help me? Thank you
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Welcome to the forum! I’m not as familiar with herpetofauna outside of the Americas, but it seems that E. c. carinatus and E. c. sochureki are best told apart from range. The nominal subspecies is only found on peninsular India. Outside of the country, you’ve likely got E. c. sochureki. Sochureki is found in northern India, Bangladesh, southern Afghanistan, Pakistan, central Iran, southern Iraq, United Arab Emirates, and the southeast Arabian peninsula. Like many subspecies, there’s likely an intergrade zone between the two. In which case, I would stick to species level.
For a rough estimate of their ranges, check the iNat map:
Echis carinatus carinatus:
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/31084-Echis-carinatus-carinatus
Echis carinatus sochureki:
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/115631-Echis-carinatus-sochureki
Thank you very much for your answer.
No problem! This website might be useful: https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Echis&species=carinatus
I was in Rajasthan and saw 4 or 5 Echis Carinatus Sochureki but I am hesitating about an other Echis Carinatus even if it probably also Sochureki ssp. It seems both subspieces can be found there. Once more, I want to thank you for your help.
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Echis carinatus sochureki seems to be the main subspecies there, though I think both may be present. When in doubt, identify to species level. Often times, identifiers will come along and ID further.
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