Stejneger's palm viper, Stejneger's bamboo pitviper, Chinese tree viper, Chinese green tree viper, Chinese bamboo viper, Green bamboo viper, Bamboo snake, Red tail snake
The Stejneger's pit viper (Trimeresursus stejnegeri) is a venomous snake found only in Asia. The scientific name, stejnegeri, is in honor of Leonhard Stejneger, the Norwegian-born, American herpetologist who worked at the Smithsonian Institution for over 60 years.
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
Ca
CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
Ar
ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Am
Ambush predatorAmbush predators are carnivorous animals that capture or trap prey by stealth, luring, or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an elemen...
Ov
OviparousOviparous 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...
Ve
VenomousVenom 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...
So
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.
S
starts withThe Stejneger's pit viper is bright to dark green above and pale green to whitish below. There is a bright ventrolateral stripe, which occupies the whole of the outermost scale row and a portion of the second row. This stripe is bicolored orange or brown (below) and white (above) in males or bicolored or white only in females.
Stejneger's pit vipers are found in Northeast India and Nepal through Myanmar and Laos to much of southern China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. They prefer to live in tropical moist montane forests and can also be found near flooded agricultural land.
Stejneger's pit vipers are solitary nocturnal creatures; they prefer to avoid high daytime temperatures and to hunt when their favored prey are also active. Their heat-sensitive pits are also thought to aid in locating cooler areas in which to rest. As ambush predators, Stejneger's pit vipers typically wait patiently somewhere for unsuspecting prey to wander by. These snakes are not aggressive and strike only if cornered or threatened.
Trimeresurus stejnegeri has a potent hemotoxin. The wound usually feels extremely painful, as if it had been branded with a hot iron, and the pain does not subside until about 24 hours after being bitten. Within a few minutes of being bitten, the surrounding flesh dies and turns black, highlighting the puncture wounds. The wound site quickly swells, and the skin and muscle become black due to necrosis. The size of the necrotic area depends on the amount of venom injected and the depth of the bite.
Stejneger's pit vipers are carnivores. They eat small rodents, birds, frogs, and lizards.
Stejneger's pit vipers are viviparous and give birth to live young.
There are no major threats facing Stejneger's pit vipers at present. However, in some areas of their range, they suffer from habitat degradation.
According to IUCN, the Stejneger's pit viper is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
