Malay moccasin viper
| Malay moccasin viper | ||||||||||||
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Malay moccasin viper ( Calloselasma rhodostoma ), illustration |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Calloselasma | ||||||||||||
| Cope , 1860 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Calloselasma rhodostoma | ||||||||||||
| ( Kuhl , 1824) |
The Malay moccasin viper ( Calloselasma rhodostoma ), also Malay moccasin pit viper , is the only species of the monotypical genus Calloselasma within the pit vipers (Crotalinae). It is common in large parts of Southeast Asia.
features
The Malay Moccasin Otter reaches an average length of 76 centimeters and maximum lengths of up to one meter. The females are on average slightly larger than the males. It is the only species of Asian pit viper that has large, unkeeled head shields and smooth body scales. The head is triangular, the jaws are clearly separated from the neck. The snout is pointed so that the head looks like an arrowhead as a whole. Seven to eight upper lip shields and eleven to twelve lower lip shields surround the mouth opening. Between the eye and the nostril are the openings of the pit organ on both sides of the head . They are covered by a thin membrane and serve to receive infrared radiation . This allows prey to be perceived in the vicinity like an infrared camera through their heat radiation.
Snake venom
The Malay moccasin viper produces a very potent snake venom . It contains procoagulants (blood coagulants ) which, by using up the body's own coagulation factors, ultimately reduce the ability to clot ( disseminated intravascular coagulopathy ). In addition to a defibrinating and thrombin - like enzyme which cannot be inhibited by antithrombin III (AT III), other coagulant substances can be detected that can be inhibited by AT III. The poison also contains haemorrhagins, which can cause internal bleeding , and cell toxins (cytotoxins) which lead to necrosis . There are many bite accidents with people. Deaths are mostly due to sepsis (consequence of necrosis) and cerebral haemorrhage.
The raw poison from Calloselasma rhodostoma serves as the basis for the production of the drug ancrod , a fibrinogen-splitting enzyme , the medical use of which is indicated for chronic arterial circulatory disorders .
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the Malay Moccasin Otter extends over large parts of Southeast Asia. Its occurrence there has been confirmed for Cambodia , Laos , the Malay Peninsula , Thailand as well as Central and South Vietnam , and it also lives on the Indonesian island of Java . As a habitat, the snake prefers coastal forests and bamboo thickets as well as fallow and overgrown cultivated land and forests around plantations.
literature
- A. Gumprecht, F. Tillack, NL Orlov, A. Captain & S. Ryabov: Asian Pitvipers. GeitjeBooks, Berlin 2004, ISBN 0-8014-4141-2 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mark O'Shea: Venomous Snakes. All species of the world in their habitats , Fankh-Kosmos, 2006. ISBN 978-3-440-10619-8 .
- ^ Toxicological Department, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich: Calloselasma rhodostoma , Kleber, March 1999.
- ↑ de Gruyter: Pschyrembel; Clinical Dictionary. 261st edition. 2007, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York, ISBN 978-3-11-018534-8 .
Web links
- Calloselasma rhodostoma in The Reptile Database
- Calloselasma rhodostoma inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: Grismer, L. & Chan-Ard, T, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
- Ludwig Trutnau: Malaysian Moccasin Otter at Asian-Pitphia.com, accessed on August 10, 2015