The world’s rarest viper: Barbour’s short-headed viper (Atheris barbouri). Found only in the sky islands of the Uzungwe and Ukinga mountains of south-central Tanzania in Africa. maximun length of 16 in (40 cm).
The Temple Viper aka Wagler’s Viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri) is an arboreal and nocturnal viper found in the forests of SE Asia. They display sexual dimorphism: The females are much larger (up to 1 m), and distictively patterned (the patterns may vary across their range). The males are much smaller and thinner, and have simpler patterns, if at all. Unlike many species in Viperidae, this species gives live birth (ovoviviparous). They are generally sluggish and deliberate in their movements, but strike quickly when taking out prey. They possess a rather potent venom.
The Eastern SandViper (Vipera ammodytes meridionalis) is a venomous snake found in Greece and Turkey. They reach a total length of up to ~70 cm. As with other “true vipers” (non-pit vipers), they are egg laying.
The stunningly beautiful Russell’s Viper (Daboia russelli) is the snake credited with the most bites and human deaths each year. Despite its shy and retiring nature preferring to blend in with its habitat, it is often stepped over and upon by humans with which it often lives in close proximity. It is often found in grasslands and the fields where crops are grown where it feeds upon rodents.
Rusell’s Viper spotted by Project Noah member Rivu Ghorai.
That’s Not A Worm: Endangered Ocellate Mountain Vipers Born At Saint Louis Zoo
by Kelsey Proud
today we bring you a look at a group of highly endangered baby snakes born at the Saint Louis Zoo. The Zoo says nine ocellate mountain vipers were born there on Aug. 16. The species is from northeastern Turkey.
“With a strong history of caring for this species, the Zoo found value in focusing its conservation efforts on a group largely ignored by other zoological institutions,” Jeff Ettling said in a statement. Ettling is the curator of herpetology & aquatics at the Zoo, and director of both the Center for Conservation in Western Asia and the Ron Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation. “Our studies of mountain vipers in our care have already provided useful information on reproduction and behavior of these poorly known species.”
Cute or not, and that’s up to you, the species has an interesting history. Once thought to be extinct for nearly 140 years, the viper species was “re-discovered” in 1983, the zoo says…
The puff adder is a large, venomous snake that occurs throughout Africa and in the southwestern Arabian peninsula. This species usually reaches a maximum length of approximately 1 m, but the largest individuals may be nearly twice that long. Its relatively dull coloration camouflages the snake very effectively. This species is a primarily nocturnal ambush predator, preying on small mammals, birds, lizards, frogs, and toads, and while it spends most of its time on the ground, it can also swim or climb into low vegetation. It is generally slow-moving, but it can strike extremely quickly.
Due to its wide distribution, potent venom, and highly cryptic coloration which makes it prone to being stepped on inadvertently, Bitis arietans is thought to kill more people than any other African snake, accounting for nearly 32,000 deaths per year and many more disabilities. Its venom is highly toxic, capable of causing massive tissue necrosis, as well as a variety of other deleterious physical effects, apparently adapted to immobilize prey and begin the digestive process. However, unlike in some of its close relatives, the venom of B. arietans acts relatively slowly, and with proper treatment, death can be prevented in 90-95% of cases…
… aka Rock Viper. This is a species of venomous snake, in the family Viperidae, that occurs in northeastern Greece and Turkey, as well as certain islands in the Aegean Sea.
Usually grows to 70-95 cm (27.6-37.4 in), but reaches a maximum length of 130 cm (51.2 in). They can be found living in humid areas, favoring rocky and “well-vegetated” areas. Their diet is thought to consist of rodents and other small mammals, lizards, and birds…
…a species of Persian horned viper collected in western Iran in 2006. Like its common name suggests this unique viper has an odd wind scorpion shaped growth at the tip of its tail. Originally it was thought to be a Persian Horned Viper (Pseudocerastes persicus) with a odd tumor, but it was later reveled that a whole population had these growths and they were named a new species.
The growth is actually used as a lure and experiments have shown that birds who peck at it were lead to the vipers head and eaten. So far it has only been observed preying on birds but it is though to prey on other predators of wind scorpions as well.
A German snake expert died shortly after suffering several bites in southern France, German newspaper the Local reports. Dieter Zorn, 53, was in the middle of a presentation about reptiles when he was bitten several times by an Aspic viper. Due to a rare allergy, he suffered a heart attack and died shortly thereafter…
The element of surprise gives this rhinoceros viper (Bitis nasicornis) in Cameroon an edge over prey. Quick-kill venom finishes the job. Vipers provide valuable toxins, including those used in drugs for hypertension and heart disease and to control bleeding during surgery.
Nanostructures Make Viper Skin Ultra-Black and Stealthy
by Laura Poppick
From even a short distance, this West African Gaboon viper looks just like a pile of dead leaves. New research shows that the highly-camouflaged snake owes its elusiveness to nanostructures in its black scales.
The velvety-black patches on this snake’s back are so dark and absorb so much light, they look like gaps in the snake’s body. This illusion allows the lurkers to dissolve into leaf litter as they wait for prey on the rainforest floor.
To determine what makes these scales appear so black, a team of German scientists examined the snake’s skin under a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and found differences in the nanostructures of dark and pale scales that explain the high contrast, the team reports today in Scientific Reports…