Speckled forest-pitviper
Bothrops taeniatus, the speckled forest-pitviper, is a species of pit viper found in the equatorial forests of South America endemic to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, And Brazil. The specific name, taenia, is derived from the Greek word, tainia, meaning ribbon bandage or stripe, in reference to the slender body. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
Venom is a type of poison, especially one secreted by an animal. It is delivered in a bite, sting, or similar action. Venom has evolved in terrestr...
B
starts withAdults are usually less than 100 cm (39 in) in total length, although some may grow to as much as 150 cm (59 in). The maximum total length is 175 cm (69 in) for a specimen from Tepoe, Suriname.
The body is relatively slender with a prehensile tail. The color pattern is extremely complex, varying overall from lavender gray to yellow green, while juveniles undergo considerable ontogenetic color change as they mature into adults.
It is distinguished from other members of this genus by having mostly single subcaudal scales and a row of bold white spots where the dorsal and ventral scales meet.
Widespread in the equatorial forests of South America in Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. The type locality given is "flumen Amazonum ", which according to Vanzolini (1981) refers to the section of the Amazon River between the mouth of the Tajapuru river (01°02'S, 51°02'W) and the mouth of the Negros river (03°08'S, 59°55'W).
This arboreal snake inhabits rainforests in lowlands and foothills, as well as moist tropical forests. It is usually found in vines and low vegetation in primary forest and along forest edges. It is suspected of living mainly in the forest canopy.
Only two cases of bites from this species have been documented, and both involved severe local swelling of the entire bitten limb. In the second case, the tissue damage was so severe that it led to amputation of the afflicted limb despite antivenin treatment.
