Tuft-browed puff adder
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Tuft-browed puff adder ( Bitis cornuta ) |
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| Bitis cornuta | ||||||||||||
| ( Daudin , 1803) |
The tufts brewing-puff adder ( Bitis cornuta ), also tufts brewing Otter called, is a viper from the genus of Puffottern ( Bitis ).
features
Bitis cornuta reaches a total length between 30 and 40 cm, rarely more than 55 cm. The body is strong and slightly stocky. The head is angular, triangular in shape when viewed from above and clearly stands out from the neck. The eyes have a pupil that is vertically slit when exposed to light. There are two to seven horn-like scales above each eye. The horn scales may be missing. The body color has a gray, brown or reddish basic color on the upper side with two rows of rectangular, light-rimmed spots (partly fused together). There are more stains on the side, evenly spaced. The top of the head has symmetrical, light-edged spots that can be fused to form a V-shaped angular spot. A dark temporal strip can be seen between the eye and the corner of the mouth. The ventral side is colored gray and mottled dark. As is typical for vipers, the venom apparatus consists of venom glands located on the side of the skull (specialized salivary glands ) and retractable fangs with a venom canal in the anterior upper jaw.
Pholidosis
The pholidosis (scaling) shows the following characteristics:
- on top of head small, strongly keeled scales; 12 to 17 of them standing between the eyes,
- 11 to 16 upper lip shields ( supralabials ),
- 2 to 4 rows of small scales between the shields of the upper lip and the eye,
- 11 to 19 scales around the eye ( Scuta ocularia ),
- 11 to 16 lower lip shields ( sublabials ),
- 25 to 29 rows of keeled trunk scales ( Scuta dorsalia ),
- 120 to 152 abdominal shields ( scuta ventralia ),
- 18 to 37 partly keeled under- tail shields ( Scuta subcaudalia ) and
- 1 undivided anal shield ( scutum anale ).
distribution
The distribution area includes regions in Namibia and South Africa .
Way of life
The tuft-browed puff adder colonizes dry, desert-like habitats with bushes, scrub, rocks and rubble, where it ambushes its prey. The species occasionally moves crosswinds. A worm or insect is supposed to be imitated by moving the pointed tip of the tail in order to attract prey. The range of prey primarily includes lizards , possibly also rodents or birds . Prey animals are grabbed with a quick venom bite and often grabbed between the jaws until immobilized by the venom. When threatened, loud hissing noises are emitted, when approaching the snake strikes with great force, so that the body is sometimes thrown up. The propagation is done by ovoviviparity , so egg-viviparous. A litter contains between 8 and 20 young snakes.
Snake venom
Little is known about the poisonous secretion of Bitis cornuta ; deaths from bite accidents have not been documented. Animal experiments on mice suggest a high toxicity , comparable to Bitis arietans (puff adder). It is hämotoxischen and cytotoxic assumed components. In the case of a poisonous bite in humans, local swelling , blistering and necrosis are primarily to be assumed. Possible systemic complications of intoxication can coagulopathy and hemorrhage not be excluded. No specific antidote is known. In the case of severe symptoms of intoxication, polyvalent antivenins (e.g. 'SAIMR Polyvalent Antivenom' (South African Vaccine Producers (Pty) Ltd, South Africa), 'Polyvalent Snake Antivenom' (National Antivenom and Vaccine Production Center, Saudi Arabia)) can be used .
Subspecies
Two subspecies , Bitis cornuta albanica and the nominate form Bitis cornuta cornuta , are often listed. Bitis cornuta albanica is now mostly regarded as a separate species under the name Bitis albanica . Bitis inornata was at times also considered a subspecies of Bitis cornuta .
Individual evidence
- ↑ University of Adelaide, Clinical Toxinology Resources: Bitis cornuta (accessed June 25, 2018)
- ↑ The Reptile Database: Bitis albanica (accessed June 25, 2018)
literature
- Ludwig Trutnau: Snakes in the Terrarium Vol. 2: Poisonous snakes . Verlag Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-800-1705-23 .
