Bothrocophias andianus

Bothrocophias andianus is a venomous pit viper species endemic to the Andes in South America. No subspecies are currently recognized.[4]

Bothrocophias andianus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Bothrocophias
Species:
B. andianus
Binomial name
Bothrocophias andianus
Amaral, 1923
Synonyms
  • Bothrops andiana
    Amaral, 1923
  • Bothrops andianus
    — Klemmer, 1963[1]
  • Bothrocophias andianus
    — Carrasco et al., 2012[2]
Common names: Andean lancehead.[3]

Description

A terrestrial species, adults usually grow to 60–70 cm (about 24-28 inches) in total length with a maximum of 125.8 cm (49.5 in).[3]

The scalation includes 21-25 (usually 21-23) rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 157-174/169-179 ventral scales in males/females and 52-63/49-58 mostly divided subcaudal scales. On the head, the rostral scale is usually a little higher (up to 50%) than it is wide, the loreal scale is rectangular and wider than it is high, there are 3-10 keeled intersupraoculars, 7 supralabial scales with the second usually fused with the prelacunal to form a lacunolabial, and 8-11 sublabial scales.[3]

The color pattern consists of an olive gray to brown ground color, which is occasionally darker anteriorly, overlaid with a series of 18-25 dark dorsolateral blotches that usually oppose middorsally, but may alternate. These markings are triangular, or in the shape of a headphone, and have black edges followed by a peripheral pale border. The belly is cream to yellow with heavy dark gray, brown or black mottling. On the head, the canthus and supralabials are a lighter than the overall ground color while the dorsum is darker. A well-defined postorbital stripe is present that is dark chocolate brown or black in color.[3]

Geographic range

Found in South America in the southern mountains of Peru in the departments of Cuzco and Puno at elevations of 1,800–3,300 m (5,900–10,800 ft). The type locality given is "Machu Picchu, Department of Cuzco, Peru, about 9,000-10,000 ft. altitude" (2,743-3,048 m).[1]

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References
  1. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. "Bothrocophias andianus ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. 2 volumes. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates. 870 pp. 1,500 plates. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.
  4. "Bothrocophias andianus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 12 August 2008.

Further reading
  • Amaral, Afranio. 1923. "New Genera and Species of Snakes". Proceedings of the New England Zoölogical Club 8: 85-105. ("Bothrops andiana sp. nov.", pp. 103–105).
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