![]() One long-term captive specimen, regularly fed killed mice and frogs, always held on to its prey for several minutes after a strike before swallowing. Feeding mainly on small mammals, but in wetland habitats, it is also known to take toads, frogs and even fish. Froesch (1967) described a captive specimen that would hardly ever leave its hide box, even when hungry, and once waited for three days for a live mouse to enter its hide box before striking. Preferring to hunt by ambush, it probably spends much of its life motionless, waiting for prey to wander by. When approached, they often reveal their presence by hissing, said to be the loudest hiss of any African snake-almost a shriek. They have been described as generally placid creatures, less so than B. Holding them by the tail is not safe as it is somewhat prehensile, they can use it to fling themselves upwards and strike. They are slow moving, but capable of striking quickly, forwards or sideways, without coiling first or giving a warning. They are sometimes found in shallow pools and have been described as powerful swimmers. This climbing behavior is aided by a partially prehensile tail. Although mainly terrestrial, they are also known to climb into trees and thickets, where they have been found up to 3 m (9.8 ft) above the ground. Their vivid coloration actually gives them excellent camouflage in the dappled light conditions of the forest floor, making them almost invisible. Primarily nocturnal, they hide during the day in leaf litter, in holes, around fallen trees or tangled roots of forest trees. Two Bitis nasicornis hidden under tree root Its range is therefore more restricted than B. ![]() This snake occurs in forested areas, rarely venturing into woodlands. The type locality is listed only as "interior parts of Africa." ![]() It is found from Guinea to Ghana in West Africa, and in Central Africa in the Central African Republic, southern Sudan, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, DR Congo, Angola, Rwanda, Uganda and western Kenya. These adders also make a sort of hissing noise through their nose as part of their respiratory function. The common name butterfly viper is therefore more distinct and preferred to avoid confusion. Historically this species was referred to as the rhinoceros viper but this introduced confusion after the reclassification of the closely related species Bitis rhinoceros. Its common names include butterfly viper, rhinoceros viper, river jack, rhinoceros horned viper, and horned puff adder. After they shed their skins, the bright colors fade quickly as silt from their generally moist habitat accumulates on the rough scales. Western specimens are more blue, while those from the east are more green. The belly is dull green to dirty white, strongly marbled and blotched in black and gray. The top of the head is blue or green, overlaid with a distinct black arrow mark. Many of the lateral scales have white tips, giving the snake a velvety appearance. A series of dark crimson triangles run down the flanks, narrowly bordered with green or blue. These are enclosed within irregular, black, rhombic blotches. The color pattern consists of a series of 15–18 blue or blue-green, oblong markings, each with a lemon-yellow line down the center. (2004) stated there are 12–32 subcaudals, paired, and males have the higher numbers of them. (2003) reported the subcaudals number 16–32, with males having a higher count (25–30) than females (16–19). There are 117–140 ventral scales and the anal scale is single. These are so rough and heavily keeled that they sometimes inflict cuts on handlers when the snakes struggle. Midbody there are 31–43 dorsal scale rows. The fangs are not large: rarely more than 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long. It has a distinctive set of two or three horn-like scales on the end of the nose, the front pair of which may be quite long. The head is narrow, flat, triangular and relatively small compared to the rest of the body. (2004) mentioned a maximum total length of 120 cm (47 in), but admitted this is exceptional, quoting an average total length of 60–90 cm (about 24–35 inches). Large and stout, it ranges in total length (body + tail) from 72 to 107 cm (about 28 to 42 inches). Common names: butterfly viper, rhinoceros viper, river jack. This large viper is known for its striking coloration and prominent nasal "horns." No subspecies are currently recognized. Rhinoceros viper, river jack, rhinoceros horned viper, horned puff adderīitis nasicornis is a venomous viper species found in the forests of West and Central Africa. Bitis nasicornis – Taxon details on Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |