Mexican ground pit viper, Cantil viper, Cantil, Mexican moccasin, Neotropical moccasin, Mexican yellow-lipped viper
The Mexican cantil (Agkistrodon bilineatus) is a rare highly venomous pit viper species. In Sonora, Mexico, it is feared more than any other reptile. In Nicaragua, it is considered the country's most dangerous snake. The word 'cantil' in the common name of this snake means 'yellow lips'; it is based on the Tzeltal word 'kantiil' - a Mayan language spoken in the Mexican state of Chiapas.
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OvoviviparousOvoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous an...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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Highly venomousHighly venomous animals are able to produce the most toxic venom which is considered to be one of the most debilitating and potentially deadly.
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withMexican cantils are heavy-bodied snakes and share the same general body structure with copperheads. They have a broad, triangular-shaped head with small eyes that have vertical pupils. Coloration can vary, but most are brown or black, with darker brown or black banding, sometimes with white or cream-colored accents. There are the following distinctive yellow and/or white lines on the head: a vertical line on the rostral and mental, a fine line on the canthus continuing above and beyond the eye to the neck, a broader line on the upper lip from the anterior nasal to the last labial. Juveniles are almost always distinctly banded, with bright green or yellow tail tips, which they use to lure prey. As they age, their pattern and coloration fade and darken.
These snakes occur in Mexico and Central America. On the Pacific side, they are found from southern Sonora in Mexico south through Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Mexican cantils inhabit moist and dry forests, savannas, and cultivated areas. They can also occur in riparian vegetation.
Mexican cantils are mainly solitary and terrestrial snakes. They are most active at dusk and during the night when they hunt their prey. Mexican cantils have a reputation for being extremely dangerous, however, this reputation is probably not well deserved. They are generally shy by nature, and if threatened their first instinct is to rely on camouflage. If unable to do so they will use a threat display to ward off potential predators. The tightly coiled cantil will raise the last several inches of its tail, this portion often being bright yellow or green in juveniles and a faded yellow or green in adults, the animal will then tail vibrate, creating a loud whipping sound against its coils or surroundings. This particular behavior is very reminiscent of caudal luring, though in a more violent fashion, and is often accompanied by a strike or less commonly a gaping display. Mexican cantil usually will only display these behaviors when given no other choice.
Bite symptoms, of this species in general, may include nothing more than local pain, swelling, and discoloration, but those from adult specimens can cause massive swelling and necrosis. Some bites were fatal within only a few hours. In Honduras, Cruz (1987) describes the bite symptoms as immediate and severe pain, oozing of blood from the fang punctures, considerable edema, nosebleed, bleeding of the gums, marked hematuria, general petechiae, shock, kidney failure, and local necrosis. Polyvalent Antivenom, produced by the Instituto Clodomiro Picado in Costa Rica, is used to treat bites from this species.
Mexican cantils are carnivores. Adults of this species hunt mammals and large lizards, while young cantils mainly feed on lizards and frogs.
Mexican cantils breed in the spring. They are ovoviviparous and give birth to 5-20 live young at a time.
Mexican cantils are threatened by the loss of their native habitat as dry forests are being heavily destroyed. As these snakes are feared by people around their range they also suffer from constant persecution.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Mexican cantil total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.