Neha Patil (Editor)

Bothriopsis taeniata

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Subphylum
  
Vertebrata

Suborder
  
Serpentes

Scientific name
  
Bothriopsis taeniata

Rank
  
Species

Phylum
  
Chordata

Order
  
Squamata

Family
  
Viperidae

Higher classification
  
Bothriopsis

Bothriopsis taeniata VenomousReptilesorg Classifieds Bothriopsis taeniata

Similar
  
Bothriopsis, Snake, Bothriopsis bilineata, Vipers, Bothrops brazili

Speckled forest pit viper bothriopsis taeniata feeding


Bothriopsis taeniata is a species of pit viper found in the equatorial forests of South America. 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.

Contents

Bothriopsis taeniata Pit Vipers Part 1 Bothriopsis Fundacion EcoMinga

Description

Bothriopsis taeniata Bothriopsis taeniata Ecuador Edvard Mizsei Flickr

Adults 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.

Bothriopsis taeniata httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

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.

Bothriopsis taeniata VenomousReptilesorg Libraries

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.

Geographic range

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).

Habitat

Inhabits rainforests in lowlands and foothills, as well as moist tropical forests. Usually found in vines and low vegetation in primary forest and along forest edges. It is suspected of living mainly in the forest canopy.

Behavior

Arboreal.

Venom

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.

References

Bothriopsis taeniata Wikipedia