NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Iranian spider viper
Pseudocerastes urarachnoides Bostanchi, Anderson, Kami & Papenfuss, 2006
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The spider-tailed horned viper (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides) is a species of viper, a venomous snake, in the family Viperidae and genus Pseudocerastes. The genus is commonly known as "false-horned vipers". The species is endemic to western Iran and the Iran-Iraq border region.
P. urarachnoides appears very similar to other Pseudocerastes species in the region, especially around the head, but the spider-tailed horned viper has a unique tail with a bulb-like end that is bordered by long drooping scales that give it the appearance of a spider, which is used in aggressive mimicry. A specimen was collected in 1968 and identified as Pseudocerastes persicus, with the unusual tip of the tail being attributed to a parasite, deformity, or tumors. Another specimen was found in 2003, and the species was described in 2006. The tail tip is waved around and used to lure insectivorous birds to within striking range.
Wikipedia contributors, Spider-tailed horned viper; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T08:56:39.140410+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Pseudocerastes urarachnoides Bostanchi, Anderson, Kami & Papenfuss, 2006
- Name authority
- Bostanchi, Anderson, Kami & Papenfuss, 2006
- Common name
- Iranian spider viper
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Viperidae
- Genus
- Pseudocerastes
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
- suborderSerpentes Linnaeus, 1758
- infraorderAlethinophidia Nopcsa, 1923
- familyViperidae
- subfamilyViperinae
- genusPseudocerastes
- speciesPseudocerastes urarachnoides Bostanchi, Anderson, Kami & Papenfuss, 2006
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Pseudocerastes. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Field's Horned ViperPseudocerastes fieldi Schmidt, 1930 | ViperidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Persian Horned ViperPseudocerastes persicus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) | ViperidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Pseudocerastes&species=urarachnoides Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:4NR3R. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.