ASPID ARIZONA (lat. Micruroides euryxanthus) is the smallest snake from the Elipidae (aspid) family, its length is only 40 cm. It consists of alternating black, red and yellow rings. Perhaps the most important feature of the Arizona asp lies not in its bright color, but in the structure of its dental apparatus. On the maxillary bone behind each poisonous fangs (there are two in total) they have another small tooth. However, asps need poisonous teeth not to protect themselves from enemies, but rather to get food. In case of danger, this asp draws air into the lungs and exhales it rhythmically, while making a series of rapidly alternating popping sounds. A small snake produces such unusual sounds to scare away enemies.

Asp harlequin

ASPID HARLEKIN (Micrurus fulvius), one of the largest snakes of its kind, reaching almost 1 m in length, is distributed to the north farthest from all the aspids of America. This snake represents a certain danger, since, with its considerable size, it can easily bite a person. When bitten, the asp clings tightly with its teeth and strongly compresses the jaws. The percentage of deaths from the bites of the harlequin asp is quite high. If you do not take the necessary measures, then the person usually dies 20-24 hours after the bite. Asp venom mainly affects the nervous system (paralysis, collapse), there is no tumor, but a sharp pain occurs in the bite area.

Asp cobra

Cobra snake (Micrurus frontalis) is one of the most spectacular snakes of the Aspid family. Despite its small size (up to 60-70 cm in length), its color immediately attracts attention: red rings alternate with black ones, and each black ring is crossed by two more, pale yellow ones. Unfortunately, the cobra snake is venomous and its venom is fatal to humans. This is the most dangerous neurotoxin, therefore keeping snakes of this species in a home terrarium is highly undesirable - the death of household members or neighbors from a snake bite falls under Article 109 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Causing death by negligence", which is punishable by restriction of liberty for up to two years or imprisonment for the same term.

Asp coral

Representatives of this species of snakes lead a predominantly nocturnal secretive lifestyle. It is rarely found in open space, although there are situations when the coral snake is found near human habitation. He prefers either a cool, wet curing bud or a sandy bud. Asps appear extremely rarely on the surface, this happens during the rains and during the breeding season.
The body length of this snake reaches 60-70 cm. The head is blunt, small in size. The tail is also not very long - about 10 cm. The mouth is slightly stretched. The color of the coral snake is very impressive. The main color is red, which is interrupted by surrounding the body, correctly placed black rings.

Aspid coral tape

ASPID CORAL BELT (Micrurus lemniscatus) Lives in Brazil, in the north of South America and the islands of Trinidad. It is colored similarly to the cobra snake, but the yellow stripes that break the black ribbon are much narrower. This species is one of the most common asps in southern Brazil. It has its own name among the locals - ibiboboka, which also penetrates into scientific literature.

Asp slender collared

The slender collared asp (Leptomicrurus collaris) is a relatively young and rather rare species from the family of aspids (Elapidae). Together with the Arizona and coral asp, he is part of the American aspid group. Moreover, all three genera - slender, Arizona and coral asps - are sometimes combined under the name of American coral asps. However, the slender collared asp, unlike other members of the group, can be called endemic to the Amazon basin, since it is the original inhabitant of these places and is only occasionally found in other parts of the mainland. This snake got its name due to its slender, graceful body, by which it is not so easy to determine where the head and where the tail is - both are decorated with thin yellow rings. Like all aspids, the slender collared asp is venomous. But all his weapons are two relatively short poisonous fangs on the upper jaw, so the snake bites extremely reluctantly and only in rare, most dangerous cases.

Denison Magnificent

Denison superba (Denisonia superba) is a rare snake whose venom is deadly to humans and animals, like the venom of most aspids, which has a neurotoxic effect. This is not the largest member of the family - only one and a half meters in length - living on the Australian mainland, along with other 19 species of denisons. So this genus can be called endemic to Australia. Denisonia splendid is distinguished by an amazing quality that is not typical for reptiles - live birth. And although people and pets prefer to avoid this snake, it cannot be called overly aggressive, such as, for example, cobras are.

Echidna black

ECHIDNA BLACK (Pseudechis porphyriacus) or black snake, distributed throughout Eastern and Southern Australia, reaches a length of 1.5-2 m. The brilliant black color of the upper side of the body is effectively combined with the reddish color of the belly. The black snake keeps in moderately humid low-lying places and along river valleys, willingly goes into the water, swims and dives well. It feeds on frogs, lizards, snakes. Juveniles prefer insects and other invertebrates. In captivity, the black snake eats mice well.

glandular snake

[b] The common glandular snake (Maticora intestinalis) is a representative of the Aspid family. Its range extends to the territories of the Philippine and Sunda Islands. It inhabits Thailand, Burma, the Malay Peninsula. Prefers to settle in moderately humid areas, abundantly overgrown with trees and shrubs. This species is quite small in size - about half a meter in length. She has a bright color - a red stripe runs along the back and is limited by black stripes. On the sides are yellow stripes, bordered in black. The main diet of the glandular snake is dwarf snakes. Its poison is neurotoxic and very strong, however, it bites quite rarely, preferring to evade pursuit or scare with a deceptive maneuver instead of an attack. In the skeleton of this snake there are no vestiges of the pelvis and hind limbs. The left lung is also missing. The glandular snake, like most members of its family, is oviparous. In captivity, keeping is practically impossible, the snake refuses to take water and food, and dies quickly enough.

Two-banded glandular snake

The ferruginous two-striped snake belongs to the most numerous snake family in the order of snakes and has all the relevant features. She has a thin and slender body and is generally very beautiful. The colors of this snake are orange, black and blue. And it is also incredibly poisonous, which is emphasized in the very name of the reptile - glandular. This snake has overdeveloped venom glands, and they are located not only in the head region, like in other aspids, but also continue into the body cavity, occupying almost a third of its length. Because of this, the heart and other organs of the snake are, as it were, pushed back. Its poison is very dangerous for humans and animals, first of all it acts on the central nervous system of the victim.

These creatures are found on almost all continents and have a bad reputation for most people. The dislike for snakes is based primarily on their lethality - the presence of deadly poison allows them to kill even the largest animals. However, it is worth remembering that poisonous snakes make up only a quarter of all known species.
Below is a rating of the most beautiful representatives of the suborder of snakes.


This is one of the very common snakes found throughout North Africa (excluding Morocco) and the Arabian Peninsula.
Up to 70 cm long, brownish-yellow in color, with more or less clear transverse spots of dark brown color, the whole color of the snake is extremely in harmony with the color of the sandy desert. Number of scales in each belt 29-33; the anal shield is inseparable, and the caudal ones are divided into two.

10 Horned Viper


Slender and muscular snake, very fast. The scales are smooth and come in a wide range of colors, including black, blue, grey, greenish, olive and brown. However, individuals of the same range usually have a similar coloration. The throat and chin are white. The variety of colors makes this snake difficult to identify.
Distributed in North and Central America, from Canada to Guatemala, except for the western United States. Lives in open areas, such as fields, lake shores and steppes. Active during the day. It feeds on reptiles, birds and small mammals. Oviparous, clutch 10-20 or more eggs.

9. Black snake



The subspecies is distributed from Southeast Louisiana to south Texas. Inhabits mainly oak forests, found in large cities such as Dallas and Houston. The main color tone varies from brown to orange or yellowish, the skin between the scales is reddish. A row of large angular spots of dark brown color runs along the back, the same rows on the sides, but the spots are smaller. The head is one-colored, dark gray with white edging of the lips. Underparts are white, with indistinct gray markings on the ventral scutes. Juveniles have a row of dark brown, transversely elongated spots on a gray background.

8. Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri snake



The narrow-headed mamba is found in rainforests in eastern South Africa: in Natal, Mozambique, Eastern Zambia, Tanzania. The average length is 180 cm, but sometimes snakes grow up to 250 cm. Adults of this species are usually emerald green in color.
It is active mainly during the daytime, but these snakes can be active at night if conditions are favorable. Its prey in natural conditions are birds, lizards and small mammals. Very closely related species are the western green mamba and the black mamba.

7. Narrow-headed mamba



Reaches a length of up to 1.3 meters. The coloring is a vivid example of mimicry - very similar to poisonous coral asps.
It feeds on small lizards, various amphibians and large insects. Life expectancy is about 10 years.

6. Striated king snake


5 Rainbow Boa



In length, the rainbow boa reaches up to 2 m, but usually 150-170 cm. The main color background is from brown to reddish and fawn with large light spots surrounded by dark rings along the back. On the sides there are dark spots of a smaller size with a light crescent stripe above. On the sides near the belly there are a number of even smaller dark spots. In the rays of the sun, scales with an unusually strong metallic sheen shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow, especially when the snake moves. Newborn boas are also spotted.



Large and massive snake. Body length can reach from 1.5 to 4 m or more (depending on gender (females are usually larger than males) and lifestyle).
The coloration is changeable. On the body, on a light yellowish-brown or yellowish-olive background, large dark brown spots of various shapes are scattered, forming a complex pattern. A dark stripe runs through the eye, starting from the nostrils and turning into spots on the neck. Another strip goes down from the eye and runs along the upper labials. There is a dark arrow-shaped spot on the top of the head.

4. Tiger python




Dog-headed boas reach a length of 2 to 3 m. The color is bright green with white spots on the back, sometimes connected by a thin white line running along the ridge. The color of the belly varies from off-white to light yellow. Young boas are red-orange, occasionally green. A very tenacious tail allows the snake not only to move deftly and quickly among the branches, but also to rest on a thin branch, having strengthened its tail, hanging two half-rings of the body on each side of the branch and putting its head on top. When kept in captivity, the dog-headed boa usually spends the whole day quietly, resting on the branches, and takes food after dusk.

3. Dog-headed boa



Lives in wet areas. Leads a secretive, nocturnal lifestyle. It feeds on salamanders, lizards and frogs, as well as earthworms and snakes of other species. For protection, it uses its resemblance to coral asps.

2. Point collared snake



The total length varies from 25 to 38 cm, the subspecies D. punctatus regalis has a length of 38 to 46 cm. Females are larger than males. The head is small. The body is graceful, slender. Coloration varies from light gray to black, and there is almost always a bright yellow or orange stripe behind the head. The belly is orange, and the tail is red below. In an excited state, the snake raises its tail folded into a ring, showing a bright color.



The total length reaches 2 m. It has a strongly elongated, thin and laterally compressed body, an elongated and pointed head. The body diameter is only 1.5-2 centimeters. The back is painted in a bright light green color. They can be gray, yellow, flesh or cream in color, with white and black lines on the back and sides, forming oblique lines. The belly is light with white or yellow edges of the ventral scutes. The eyes are large with a horizontal pupil.

1. Grassy green whip


Snakes, scientifically speaking, are a suborder of the class of reptiles of the scaly order. Snakes can be found on all continents of the Earth, except for cold Antarctica.

Among the snakes there are poisonous species, but most snakes are not poisonous. Poisonous snakes use their venom primarily for hunting, and in self-defense, they use it only when absolutely necessary.

Many non-venomous snakes first suffocate their prey (a snake and a boa constrictor, for example), and only swallow the prey whole.

Anaconda

The largest snake in nature is the anaconda.

Again, scientifically speaking, anacondas are a genus of snakes consisting of several species. And the largest snake species is the giant anaconda, the photo of which you see above.


The largest giant anaconda caught weighed 97.5 kg with a length of 5.2 meters. This snake was caught in Venezuela in the wild jungle. Residents of remote villages claim to have seen larger anacondas, but there is no evidence of the existence of larger specimens.

Like the other three anaconda species discussed below, the giant anaconda spends most of its time in the water. Anacondas prefer bodies of water with no current or with a weak current. They are found in lakes, oxbow lakes, quiet rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco basins.


Anaconda does not move far from water. Basically, anacondas crawl ashore to bask in the sun.

As we wrote earlier, anacondas belong to the subfamily of boas. Now let's talk about boas.

Boa

Boas are mostly large ovoviviparous snakes. The subfamily of boas is mainly known for the genus of common boas. The most typical representative of this genus is the common boa constrictor of the same name. Individuals of this species reach 5.5 meters in length.


Boa constrictors strangle their prey, wrapping rings around it.

Boas of this species can have an unusual color, given that they are very unpretentious in keeping, they are often kept in terrariums.

But in terrariums it is popular to keep another type of boas - dog-headed boas.


Dog-headed boas are beautiful red-orange when young and bright green when mature. The length of this type of boas does not exceed three meters.

Another representative of boas with a bright color is the rainbow boa.


This type of boa constrictor is also popular with those who like to keep snakes at home.

Cobra

Some of the most famous snakes are cobras. Science identifies 16 species of cobras, many of which are quite large.


Cobra has an amazing skill, she can raise her body to a vertical position. If the cobra is large, then in this position it can be on a par with a person.


Cobras are poisonous snakes. Their bite can be very dangerous to humans.

Cobras are heat-loving snakes, they never live in countries where snow falls in winter.

Vipers

Vipers are the inhabitants of our latitudes. Vipers are poisonous snakes, the mention of which causes fear in people.


Vipers can have a very varied coloration. Each subspecies can be very different in appearance from other subspecies, while all subspecies of vipers have a characteristic zigzag on the back.


Vipers are active during the day, they love the sun and spend a lot of time basking in the sun.

If the viper smells a person, she prefers to retire. These are completely non-conflict snakes, and if you do not touch them

Already

One of the most peaceful snakes of our nature is already. This snake is easily recognizable by the yellow spots on its head.

Already.

They are no longer poisonous and there is no reason to be afraid of them. The snakes live on the banks of calm water bodies, such as lakes and swamps, backwaters and oxbow lakes.

Already.

It is worth noting that there is a subspecies of snakes that lives far from water bodies.

Copperheads

Copperheads are small snakes that live on the edges of forests. Copperheads feed mainly on lizards, sometimes insects.

Copperhead.

Although copperheads have poisonous teeth, their size is too small and their mouth is not capable of grabbing a person. Except for the finger. But even in this case, their bite does not pose a serious danger.


Outwardly, the copperhead looks like a small viper. The rhombuses and zigzag patterns on the back of the copperfish are very similar to those of the viper.

Polozy

Snakes are a generalized name for several types of snakes.

In our area, the Caspian snake is known - it is a fairly large snake, it is not poisonous, but very aggressive.

Caspian snake.

It is because of the aggressiveness that they do not like snakes. Although they do not pose a danger to life, and when meeting with them, you can simply go on your way.


On the islands of Japan, you can find island snakes, which are distinguished by an unusual color. This species is a resident of the sea coast.

We will end our story with a description of one of the largest snakes on the planet - a python.

The python can reach a length of four meters, which is about a meter less than the anaconda, but still impressive.


Despite their large size, pythons are very agile and smart predators. Outwardly, they could be attributed to boas, but pythons are a separate genus of snakes.


Pythons are native to Asia and Australia, and can also be found in parts of Africa. Pythons always live near bodies of water, although their life may not be connected with water. There are species of pythons that spend most of their time in the crowns of trees.

cat snakes

Cat snakes are a genus of small snakes that are distant relatives of snakes. The genus consists of 12 species that are distributed in Africa, southern Europe and southwestern Asia.




One species lives in Russia - the Caucasian cat snake. These snakes in Russia can only be found in Dagestan.

Poisonous snakes from the viper family have perfectly adapted to existence in any climatic conditions and landscapes. Vipers live in Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, North and South America. Vipers do not live only in Australia, New Zealand and other islands of Oceania.

Basically, vipers lead a sedentary lifestyle, occasionally making forced migrations to winter habitats, which make up several kilometers on the way. Vipers spend most of the summer basking in the sun or hiding in the heat under stones, uprooted tree roots and in rock crevices.

Where and how do viper snakes hibernate?

Wintering of vipers begins in October-November. For winter “apartments”, various burrows are selected that go into the ground to a depth of 2 m, where the positive air temperature is maintained. With a high population density, several hundred individuals often accumulate in one hole. The duration of wintering depends on the range: northern species of vipers hibernate up to 9 months a year, inhabitants of temperate latitudes crawl out to the surface in March-April and immediately begin to breed.

Viper venom - snake bite consequences and symptoms

Viper venom is considered potentially dangerous to humans, and the bite of some representatives of the viper family can be fatal and lead to death.

However, viper venom has found its use, because it is a valuable raw material for the manufacture of medicines and even cosmetics. The poison is a cocktail of proteins, lipids, peptides, amino acids, sugar and salt of inorganic origin. Preparations derived from viper venom are used as an analgesic for neuralgia and rheumatism, for hypertension and skin diseases, to relieve asthma attacks, for inflammatory processes and bleeding.

Viper venom enters the human or animal body through the lymph nodes and instantly enters the bloodstream. The consequences of a viper bite are manifested by burning pain, redness and swelling form around the wound, which disappear after 2-3 days without any serious consequences. In case of severe intoxication of the body, 15-20 minutes after the bite of a viper, the following symptoms appear: the bitten one feels dizzy, nausea, chills, heart palpitations. With an increased concentration of toxic substances, fainting, convulsions and coma occur.

Viper bite - first aid

What to do if bitten by a viper:

  • First of all, immediately after the bite of the viper, be sure to provide the bitten organ (usually the limbs) with peace by fixing it with a kind of splint or, for example, simply tying your hand in a bent position with a handkerchief. Limit any active movement to avoid the rapid spread of viper venom throughout the body.
  • A viper's bite is dangerous and can be fatal to humans, so in any case, regardless of the severity of the victim's condition, you should call an ambulance!
  • Pressing with your fingers at the bite site, try to slightly open the wound and suck out the poison. You can do this with your mouth, periodically spitting saliva, but the method is valid only if there are no damages on the oral mucosa in the form of cracks, scratches or sores. You can try to reduce the concentration of poison in the wound with an ordinary glass cup, using it according to the principle of setting medical jars. Suction of the poison is carried out continuously, for 15-20 minutes.
  • Then the viper bite site should be disinfected with any improvised means: cologne, vodka, alcohol, iodine, and apply a clean, slightly pressure bandage.
  • If possible, it is advisable to take an antihistamine tablet to reduce the allergic reaction to viper venom.
  • Take as much liquid as possible - weak tea, water, but give up coffee: this drink increases blood pressure and increases excitability.
  • In case of a serious lesion, artificial respiration and prolonged heart massage are performed as first aid after a viper bite.

Sometimes vipers are confused with representatives of the already-shaped family - snakes and copperheads, which often leads to the killing of innocent animals. A poisonous snake can be distinguished from a harmless one by a number of signs.

How is it different from a viper? Similarities and differences between snakes

Already - this is a non-venomous snake, the viper is poisonous and deadly to humans. The similarity between the snake and the viper is obvious: both snakes can have a similar color and meet a person in a forest, in a meadow, or near a pond. And yet these reptiles have certain signs by which they can be distinguished:

  • The appearance of the snake and the black viper is different, despite the same skin color. The common snake has 2 yellow or orange spots on its head, similar to miniature ears, while the viper does not have such marks.

  • It is not worth focusing solely on the color of snakes, since both snakes and vipers can be similar in color. For example, the color of a water snake can be olive, brown or black, with various spots. In addition, the black water snake does not have yellow markings on its head, which can easily be confused with a viper. The color of the viper can also be olive, black or brown, with a variety of spots scattered over the body.

  • And yet, if you look closely at the spots, you can see the following difference between snakes: snakes have spots on their bodies in a checkerboard pattern, many types of vipers have a zigzag strip on their backs that runs along the entire body, and there are also spots on the sides of the body.

  • Another difference between the snake and the viper is that the pupil of the viper is vertical, in snakes it is round.

  • The viper's mouth contains sharp teeth that are clearly visible when the snake opens its mouth. The snakes have no teeth.

  • Longer than a viper. The body length of the snake is usually 1-1.3 meters. The length of the viper usually varies between 60-75 cm, although there are species that reach 3-4 meters (bushmaster). In addition, vipers look much more well-fed.
  • The tail of the viper is shortened and thick, while that of snakes is thinner and longer. In addition, in vipers, the transition from the body to the tail is clearly pronounced.
  • Vipers differ from snakes in the triangular shape of the skull with clearly marked superciliary ridges, in snakes the skull is oval-ovoid.

  • The anal shield of the viper is one-piece, while that of the snake consists of 2 scales.
  • When meeting people, the snakes try to retreat and hide, the viper is likely to show complete indifference or aggression if you step on this poisonous snake or just touch it.
  • Snakes love damp habitats, so they can often be found near bodies of water where they swim and catch frogs. Vipers feed mainly, so they choose other habitats: forests, steppes, thick grass.
  • The viper is a venomous snake, the copperhead is not poisonous.
  • Many vipers have a dark-colored zigzag stripe running along their backs, while copperheads have a "scattered" pattern of specks or dark spots on their backs. But there are also black vipers that do not have stripes.

  • The head of the viper has a triangular shape with pronounced arcs above the eyes. Copperheads have a narrow, elongated head.
  • In the mouth of the viper there are teeth with which the snake bites its prey. Copperheads have no teeth.
  • The pupil of the copperfish is round, while that of the viper is vertically slit-shaped.

  • The anal shield of the copperfish consists of a pair of scales, but in the viper it is solid.
  • Noticing a person, the copperhead will hasten to hide in a shelter, the viper will either not pay attention to the person, or will start an offensive.
  • There are teeth in the mouth of the viper and the snake, but the bite of a poisonous viper is dangerous and can be fatal, and the bite of the snake, although it causes pain, does not carry a mortal danger, since the snake does not have poisonous glands.
  • In the viper, the head and body are separated by a shortened bridge imitating the neck; in the snake, there is no cervical interception.
  • The back of most vipers is either monophonic, black, or has a dark stripe that runs in a zigzag along the entire back. The color of the snake can be monophonic, with transverse dark spots on the back or in a mesh.

  • The snake has a distinctive pattern on the top of the skull - a dark stripe between the eyes, the viper does not have such decoration.
  • The viper is much shorter and looks fatter than the snake. The snakes can grow up to 1.5 meters in length, and the standard size of vipers is 60-70 cm. Only the largest vipers have a body length of up to 2 meters.

Types of vipers - photo and description

The modern classification distinguishes 4 subfamilies of vipers:

  • pit viper, they are also rattlesnakes or rattlesnakes (Crotalinae): they are distinguished by the presence of 2 infrared pits, which are located in the depression between the eyes and nostrils;
  • toad vipers(Causinae): belong to the oviparous type of snakes, which is rare among all members of the family;
  • vipers(Viperinae) - the most numerous subfamily, whose representatives live even in the conditions of the Arctic (common viper);
  • azemiopinae- a subfamily represented by a single genus and species - the Burmese fairy viper.

To date, 292 species of vipers are known to science. Below are several varieties of these snakes:

  • common viper ( Vipera berus)

a relatively small representative of the family: the body length is usually in the range of 60-70 cm, however, in the northern part of the range there are individuals over 90 cm long. The weight of the viper varies from 50 to 180 grams, with females slightly larger than males. The head is large, slightly flattened, the muzzle is rounded. The color is quite variable and multifaceted: the color of the main background of the back is black, light gray, yellow-brown, reddish-brown, bright copper. Most specimens have a pronounced pattern in the form of a zigzag strip along the back. The belly of the viper is gray, brown-gray or black, sometimes supplemented with whitish spots. The tip of the tail is often colored bright yellow, reddish or orange. This type of viper has a fairly wide habitat. The common viper lives in the forest belt of Eurasia - it is found from the territories of Great Britain and France to the western regions of Italy and the east of Korea. Feels cozy in hot Greece, Turkey and Albania, while penetrating the Arctic Circle - found in Lapland and in countries on the coast of the Barents Sea. On the territory of Russia, the common viper lives in Siberia, Transbaikalia and the Far East.

  • nosed viper(Vipera ammodytes)

differs from other species by a soft, sharp, scaly outgrowth at the tip of the muzzle, resembling a snub nose. The length of the viper is 60-70 cm (sometimes 90 cm). The color of the body is gray, sand or red-brown (depending on the species), a zigzag dark stripe or a series of diamond-shaped stripes runs along the back. The nosed viper lives on rocky landscapes from Italy, Serbia and Croatia to Turkey, Syria and Georgia.

  • Steppe viper (western steppe viper) ( Vipera ursinii )

a poisonous snake that lives in the plains and mountain steppes, in alpine meadows, in ravines and semi-deserts. Steppe vipers are found in the countries of southern and southeastern Europe (in France, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Albania), in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia (in the Caucasus, in the southern part of Siberia, the Rostov region, Altai). The length of the viper with a tail reaches 64 cm, females are larger than males. The color of the snake is brown-gray, a dark brown or black zigzag stripe runs along the ridge. Dark spots are scattered on the sides of the body.

  • Horned keffiyeh(Trimeresurus cornutus, Protobothrops cornutus)

stands out among relatives with small horns located above the eyes. The body of a viper up to 60-80 cm long is painted in a cream-green color and dotted with dark brown spots. The snake spends almost all its life on trees and shrubs, descending to the ground only for mating. The horned keffiyeh is a typical inhabitant of the south and southeast of Asia, lives in China, India and Indonesia.

  • Burmese Fairy Viper, or Chinese viper(Azemiops feae)

an oviparous species, a rarity among vipers. It got its name not thanks to a fairy-tale character, but in honor of the zoologist Leonardo Fea. The length of the viper is about 80 cm. On the head of the snake grow large shields, like those of snakes. The top of the body is greenish-brown, the bottom is cream, the head is most often yellow, yellow stripes run along the sides. It is found in Central Asia in the southeast of Tibet, in Burma, China and Vietnam.

  • Noisy viper(Bitis arietans)

one of the most beautiful and most dangerous species of African vipers. The bite of a noisy viper in 4 out of 5 cases is fatal. The snake got its name from the indignant hissing emitted in case of danger. The body of the viper is disproportionately thick with a girth of up to 40 cm and a length of about 2 m. The color of the viper can be golden yellow, dark beige or red-brown. Along the body there is a pattern consisting of 2 dozen brown marks in the shape of the Latin letter U. The noisy viper lives throughout Africa (with the exception of the equator), as well as in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

  • (Bitis nasicornis)

it is distinguished by a special decoration on the muzzle, consisting of 2-3 vertically protruding scales. The body is thick, can reach a length of 1.2 m, and is covered with a beautiful pattern. Blue trapezoid patterns with a yellow border, connected by black diamonds, run along the back. The sides are covered with black triangles, alternating with olive-colored rhombuses with a red border. The head of a viper with bright blue “cheeks” is covered with black arrows with a yellow border. Prefers to settle in the wet, swampy forests of Equatorial Africa.

  • Kaisaka, or labaria (Bothrops atrox)

the largest viper of the spearhead genus, growing up to 2.5 m in length. A distinctive feature of the kaisaki is the lemon-yellow color of the chin, which is why the snake was nicknamed the “yellow beard”. The slender body is covered with gray or brown skin with a diamond-shaped pattern on the back. Kaisaka lives throughout Central America, in Argentina and the coastal islands of South America.

  • Rhombic rattlesnake(Crotalus adamanteus)

record holder among rattlesnakes in terms of the number of "milks" of poison (660 mg from one snake). A large viper can grow over 2 m in length and weigh over 15 kg. Along the back, painted in brown tones, runs a series of 24-35 black diamonds with a brilliant sheen with a light yellow border. This viper lives only in the USA: from Florida to New Orleans.

  • Gyurza, or levant viper(Macrovipera lebetina)

the most dangerous and poisonous viper, whose poison is second only to poison in toxicity. Belongs to the egg-laying type of snakes. The length of the body of an adult gyurza can reach 2 meters, the weight of the viper is 3 kg. The body coloration is gray-brown, with dark spots, subject to variability within the range. Some individuals are distinguished by a black body with a purple tint. The viper is widespread in dry foothill areas, as well as on the outskirts of large cities in North-West Africa, Asia, Transcaucasia, Dagestan and Kazakhstan.

  • African pygmy viper ( Bitis peringueyi)

the smallest viper in the world, the body length of an adult does not exceed 20-25 cm. Due to its modest body size, it is a relatively safe viper species that lives in the deserts of Namibia and Angola.

  • bushmaster or surukuku ( Lachesis muta)

the largest viper in the world, a rare species, reaching a length of 3-4 meters with a body weight of 3 to 5 kg. Inhabits tropical rainforests of South and Central America.

Striped botrops (Bothriechis lateralis PETERS, 1862)

In popularity among terrariumists, in second place after Schlegel's tenacious botrops, it is much inferior in terms of variability, striped botrops are usually green or blue in color with small transverse yellow stripes on the back, along the border of the ventral and dorsal scales there is a longitudinal strip of yellow or white. Newborns are painted in brown tones, after half a year they begin to gain mature tones, completely colored by two years. The size of adults does not exceed one meter, usually about 80 cm.

Newborn striped botrops:

Range: High mountain rainforests of Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica.

Striped botrops lead an arboreal lifestyle, this is worth considering when planting in a terrarium, living plants are desirable, I saw beautiful terrariums with them and with artificial waterfalls and other things, these snakes do not destroy the scenery, they usually sit in a conspicuous place.

In the natural environment they hunt birds, lizards and frogs, in captivity they live perfectly on small rodents. They lead an evening-night lifestyle, move little.

The poison is dangerous, similar to the well-studied poison of the tenacious botrops, rarely leads to serious results.

p.s. if you want to get a blue botrops, look for among the old individuals.

Happy content! Take care of your hands))

Subspecies of mangrove

1. The upper side of the body is uniformly black, without transverse stripes ………… B.d. gemmicincta
- On the upper side of the body there are transverse stripes of yellow or silver color …………2

2. Shields and throat scales almost entirely yellow…………3
- Throat shields and scales with black tips or outline …………4

3. The belly is black, on the front with yellow, more or less oblong spots in the middle and yellow spots at the base of the dorsal bands; 37-53 transverse stripes on the body, usually not broken in the middle; 13-20 tail rings………… B.d.dendrophila
- Belly black, without yellow spots in the middle, scutes; 21-41 rings or pairs of spots on the body, many broken in the middle; 7-13 tail rings………… B.d.melanota

4. There is a slightly lighter area between the yellow rings………… B.d. divergens
- Between the yellow rings everything is completely black…………5

5. Each yellow scale on the body with black edging, the rings appear pockmarked …………6
- The rings are relatively narrow, the scales in them are uniformly yellow …………7

6. Rings very wide, 3 or more scales thick………… B.d.latifasciata
- Rings are thin, usually one (rarely two) scales thick ………… B.d.levitoni

7. Belly with one or two rows of yellow spots in the center; 76-103 rings………… B.d. gemmicincta(young)
- Belly without rows of yellow spots …………8

8. Upper labials with very wide dark margins, so that the length of each yellow spot is almost equal to the length of the black space between two yellow spots; undertail flaps partially fused ………… B.d.occidentalis
- Upper labials with thin dark edges, the length of the yellow spot is much longer than the length of the black interval; undertail shields are all completely separated…………9

9. 42-69 rings around the body; 63-90 rings around the body + around the tail; in Borneo………… B.d.annectens
- 58-80 rings around the body; 85-111 rings around the body + around the tail; in Palawan ………… B.d.multicincta

Sources:
1. Gaulke, M.; Demegillo, A. & Vogel, G. 2005. Eine neue Unterart der Mangroven-Nachtbaumnatter von den Philippinen. Herpetofauna 25 (143): 5-16
2. Vogel, G. 2000. Bestimmung der Unterarten von Boiga dendrophila (Boie, 1827) Sauria, Berlin, 22(1), 27-43.

Pit snakes of Thailand

Poisonous snakes -Other poisonous snakes

Thailand is a relatively small state located in Southeast Asia, but such a small area was able to collect a huge variety of the most unusual representatives of the fauna. There are about 175 species of snakes in Thailand alone, of which about 85 are poisonous, but about 12 species of snakes pose a real threat to human life. Almost all deadly snakes in Thailand belong to the aspid family, and these are cobras and kraits. However, not only aspids can pose a threat to human health. Thailand is also heavily populated by vipers and pit vipers, whose bites can seriously affect health. In this article, we will talk about the family of pit snakes that live in Thailand.



If you are going on vacation to Thailand, be prepared to meet a snake, because in this country they are very common. One important piece of advice: if you or your friend is bitten by a snake, try to remember what it looked like - and go to the hospital immediately. Serums against a large number of poisonous snakes are currently available in hospitals in Thailand, but since they all differ from each other, it is necessary to provide as much information as possible about the bitten snake (size, color, pattern, area where the snake was found). This article will help you get to know the representatives of the pit vipers, learn about the effect of their venom, their lifestyle and places where you can stumble upon them.

So, why are these snakes called pit-headed? The thing is, between the nostrils and eyes, these snakes have two small thermal pits. This is something like a thermal imager, thanks to which pit vipers can see objects that are warmer than the environment in absolute darkness.

All pit vipers are venomous. Some are more poisonous, others less. As for the pit-headed snakes of Thailand, the Malay muzzle and Pope's keffiyeh are especially to be feared. The venom of the rest of the pitheads in most cases does not lead to death, however, tumors or even tissue necrosis do occur, so be careful. And remember, you don't know how your body will react to even a mild venom, so exercise extreme caution when encountering a snake.

The article presents the names of species in Latin, the relevance of which, according to modern taxonomy, dates back to 2011. In some names, there is a word enclosed in brackets - this is the name of the genus also used for this snake earlier. In different sources, the same species of snakes may have different Latin names.

So, let's start our acquaintance with the pit snakes of Thailand.

Malayan muzzle


Calloselasma rhodostoma(Malayan Pit Viper) (Kuhl, 1824)


External description:Calloselasma a monotypic genus that contains a single species C. rhodostoma. This snake is separated from other vipers by at least two features. Firstly, the Malay muzzle has smooth scales (in addition to it, the genus Azemiops, and the rest of the vipers have keeled scales), and, secondly, it is an oviparous species, which is quite rare among vipers and pitheads.


Malayan cottonmouths are reddish, grayish or light brown in color with two rows of large triangular spots running along the ridge. Between these rows of spots stretches a thin dark stripe, which can be either indistinct or discontinuous in different individuals. The upper part of the head is dark in color, but light stripes run from the nose along the entire head, forming an even, sharp-angled triangle (it is clearly visible when viewed from above).

Length: Up to 100 cm, females are more massive and longer, males are slimmer and shorter.

Area: all of Thailand, southern Vietnam and the northern part of West Malaysia. Thus, the name "Malayan muzzle" is not entirely appropriate, since this snake inhabits only a very small part of Malaysia.


Habitat: The Malayan muzzle can be found in coastal forests, in bamboo groves, as well as on overgrown and unused plantations, farms, and gardens. They prefer to hide under dry leaves, under rocks or in old stumps.

Lifestyle/Character: The Malayan cottonmouth is predominantly nocturnal, being especially active during rainy weather, but can also be active during the day. This snake is quite aggressive, the bite occurs at lightning speed.

Danger: The bites of the Malay muzzle are very painful, a tumor forms at the site of the bite, the bite can lead to tissue necrosis. The poison of this snake is quite strong and in some cases can be fatal to humans.

White-lipped keffiyeh


(White-lipped Pit Viper) (Gray, 1842)


External description: White-lipped kufii have a solid bright green color on the back. The belly can be white, yellow or pale green. Below the eyes, the head also acquires a white, yellow or pale green color, due to which this keffiyeh got its name. Males of the white-lipped keffiyeh have thin white stripes on the lateral surfaces along the entire body, closer to the belly. Females do not have such stripes.


Length: males - 75 cm, females - 104 cm.

Area: Thailand, India, South China, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.

Habitat: White-lipped kufii have adapted to a wide variety of living conditions, both in dense forests and in bushy open spaces at an altitude of up to 500 meters above sea level. They can often be found near human settlements. They prefer to stay close to the water.

Lifestyle/Character: These snakes are nocturnal and in search of food (rodents, frogs, lizards, birds) they usually descend to the ground. White-lipped kufis attack very quickly, their character is quite aggressive, as a result of which bites of people by these kufis are quite frequent.

The mating season for white-lipped keffis falls on September and October. A female keffiyeh can give birth to up to 16 cubs at a time. Note that kufii are ovoviviparous snakes, i.e. the eggs are incubated inside the female and live kites are born immediately, located only in a thin shell, which they tear immediately after birth. Cubs have the same color as adults.

Notes:
There are quite a lot of green types of keffiyeh in Thailand and it is often difficult for an ordinary person to distinguish them from each other. This is their list:
Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) albolabris(White-lipped keffiyeh)
Trimeresurus (Viridovipera) gumprechti(Gumprecht's green keffiyeh)
Trimeresurus (Parias) hageni(Indonesian keffiyeh)
(Big-eyed keffiyeh)
Trimeresurus (Popeia) popeiorum(Keffiyeh Popa)
Trimeresurus (Popeia) fucatus(Siamese keffiyeh)
Trimeresurus (Parias) sumatranus(Sumatran keffiyeh)
Trimeresurus (Viridovipera) vogeli(Keffiyeh Vogel)
(cardamom keffiyeh)

At the moment, a serum against the poison of all green keffis is available in Thailand.

Danger:

cardamom keffiyeh


Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) cardamomensis
(Cardamom Mountains Green Pitviper) (Malhotra, Thorpe, Mrinalini & Stuart, 2011)


Length: males - 50 cm, females - 75 cm.

Area: Thailand (Changthaburi Province), Cambodia (Koh Kong Province).


Habitat: Cardamom keffiyeh was first described in 2011. Outwardly, she is very similar to the big-eyed keffiyeh ( Cryptelytrops macrops). Like Cryptelytrops macrops and Cryptelytrops venustus these snakes live on small islands in large numbers. Outside their habitat (usually near a stream or in a valley between two mountains), they are almost never found.

Lifestyle/Character: This snake is nocturnal and preys on rodents, lizards and frogs. Cardamom keffiyeh, like the rest, leads an arboreal lifestyle, however, it rarely rises to a height of more than a meter above ground level.

This snake can not be called aggressive. This is one of the few snakes that will not try to bite you at every opportunity.

Danger: Bites are very painful, but usually not fatal. In the worst case, the bite can lead to necrosis.

Kanburian keffiyeh


Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) kanburiensis(Kanburi Pit Viper) (Smith, 1943)

External description: Most often, the pattern consists of two colors: green and brown, however, these colors can vary greatly from swamp and yellow-brown to bright green and burgundy. Outwardly, it is very similar to a magnificent keffiyeh.

Length: 70 cm


Area: Thailand (Kanchanaburi Province).

Habitat: This species was described in 1934 by the British herpetologist Malcolm Smith, who caught a female of this species in the limestone mountains near Kanchanaburi. Hence its name Kanburi and the Latin name kanburiensis.

Almost nothing is known about the life of these snakes in their natural habitat. It is not even known whether this snake is arboreal or terrestrial, like Trimeresurus venustus, which lives around limestone mountains and is very similar in appearance.

Lifestyle: It is assumed that these snakes are active at dusk and at night. The mating season is in September and October. During this period, snakes are active even during the day, especially males. Therefore, the likelihood of meeting with them increases. During the dry season, these snakes hide and reappear at the beginning of the rainy season in April. At the same time, females give birth.

Danger: Only one bite of this snake has been recorded and described in the literature. The bite did not lead to death, but it took a long treatment in the hospital.

Big-eyed keffiyeh


Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) macrops(Large-eyed Green Pit Viper) (Kramer, 1977)


External description: The big-eyed keffiyeh is predominantly green in color. As with the white-lipped keffiyeh, there may be white stripes along the body. But the main distinguishing feature of these snakes are large yellow eyes.

Length: Up to 72 cm, however, usually these snakes reach only 50 cm.


Area: Northern and Central Thailand (especially common in the vicinity of Bangkok), Northern Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.

Habitat: The big-eyed keffiyeh lives in forests and on plains covered with shrubs, and is also found in agricultural land and in gardens.

Lifestyle/Character: Like other types of keffis, these snakes are nocturnal. With the advent of dusk, big-eyed kufis descend to the ground in search of frogs, lizards and rodents. Note that these keffis control the population of frogs and rodents.

During the day, these snakes rest on trees and shrubs, often ignoring passers-by. However, this does not mean that the big-eyed keffiyeh cannot bite - these keffiyeh attack with lightning speed if necessary.

Danger: The poison may be slightly stronger than that of the white-lipped keffiyeh. Usually the bite does not lead to serious complications. Deaths are very rare, but the bite can lead to tissue necrosis.

On a note, 40% of snake bites in Thailand fall on the big-eyed and white-lipped keffiy.

Coastal keffiyeh


Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) purpureomaculatus(Mangrove Pit Viper) (Gray, 1832)


External description: The color can vary from blackish to dark purplish brown, and can be either uniform or heterogeneous. Sometimes a white line may be present on each side of the body underneath. Belly brown or greenish, may be with black spots.

Length: Males - 60 cm, females - 90 cm.


Area: Bangladesh, Myanmar, Southern Thailand, Western Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra).

Habitat: Coastal keffis are found on overgrown riverbanks, in ditches, on hilly terrain, on the banks of islands, in mangrove and marshy forests.

Character: Shore keffis are highly excitable and aggressive snakes that can move quickly over long distances. Their attacks are fast, but fortunately the bursts are too short. But these snakes calm down for a long time.

Danger: Coastal keffiyeh can be confused with Trimeresurus kanburiensis, Trimeresurus venustus. The poison is similar to that of other keffis, bites rarely lead to death, but tissue necrosis is possible.

Beautiful (Magnificent) keffiyeh


Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) venustus(Brown-spotted Green Pit Viper) (Vogel, 1991)


External description: Magnificent keffiyeh looks very similar to Kanburiya. The main background of the body is green or marsh, the spots can be either brown or red-brown. The spots can have completely different shapes - they can form fairly even transverse stripes along with green, and they can also have irregularly shaped stripes or have a completely chaotic pattern. Each scale has its own color - either green or brown.

Length: The maximum length is 70 cm, but usually less.


Area: Thailand (between the provinces of Chumphon and Krabi).

Habitat: Magnificent keffis prefer to settle in hilly areas, in bamboo thickets, in tropical rainforests and in areas of limestone mountains, and can also be found on rubber plantations.

Lifestyle/Character: Usually magnificent keffis are active at night. Throughout the day, they can only be active after a heavy downpour. Unlike other keffis, this species can often be found on the ground rather than in trees. I think you can say that these keffis are semi-wood snakes. Like other types of keffiy, they prey on frogs, lizards and rodents. These snakes are not very aggressive and only attack when absolutely necessary.

Danger: Little is known about the poison of the magnificent keffiyeh, but there are opinions that its poison is not too strong, slightly weaker than that of the white-lipped keffiyeh.

Indonesian keffiyeh


Trimeresurus (Parias) hageni(Hagen's pitviper) (Lidth de Jeude, 1886)


External description: The coat color can be yellowish green, grass green or pale green. On the sides, closer to the belly, the color usually becomes lighter. The belly is often separated from the lateral surface by a white stripe. The belly is usually yellow or light green, and it can be much brighter than the color of the back. Some individuals have small, faintly visible yellowish or bluish round markings with blurry edges on their backs.

Length: up to 116 cm.


Area: Thailand (Provinces of Songkhla, Surat Thani and Trang), West Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat: Indonesian keffis live in the rainforest plains.

Lifestyle/Character: Indonesian keffis are predominantly nocturnal. Especially often they can be found at night after a downpour. Like many other types of kufi, Indonesian kufi are both arboreal and terrestrial, descending to the ground mainly at night in search of food.

Usually these snakes are quite calm and will not bite at the first opportunity.

A distinctive feature of the Indonesian keffiyeh is that it is an oviparous species, which is rare among keffiyeh. In one clutch there can be up to 13-17 eggs. The incubation period is 35 days. The length of newborn snakes is approximately 24 cm.

Danger: Although these keffis are considered to be quite calm, one should be careful with them, once in a while. There are no recorded cases of death after being bitten by this keffiyeh, but the bite can lead to an extremely painful swelling.

keffiyeh popa


Trimeresurus (Popeia) popeorum(Pope's Pitviper) (Smith, 1937)


Description: The back is green, the belly is pale green. The first row of body scales is white, creating a white stripe that runs from head to tail. Sometimes a red stripe may pass in front of the white. The tip of the tail is brownish. Eye color may be red.

Length: up to 90 cm.

Area: Central, Western and Northern Thailand, Northeast India, Myanmar, Northern Laos, Malaysia.

Habitat: Pope's keffis prefer hilly, wooded areas.


Lifestyle/Character: These snakes are nocturnal. During the day, they prefer to rest on the branches of trees, and at night they descend to the ground in search of prey.

Pope's Keffis are considered quite aggressive snakes, attacking the enemy without hesitation.

Danger: Pope's keffis have a very strong poison! A large and painful swelling develops around the bite. Possible death.

Siamese keffiyeh


Trimeresurus (Popeia fucata) fucatus(Siamese Peninsula Pitviper) (Vogel, David & Pauwels, 2004)


Length: up to 85 cm, but usually less.

Area: Southern Thailand (from Chumphun province to the border with Malaysia), Myanmar, Malaysia.

General information: There is not much information about the life of this species yet, because it was first described in 2004 near the province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Due to the fact that this species belongs to the group Parias popeiorum and was also written as Trimeresurus popeiorum(Keffiyeh Pope) until 2004, it can be assumed that it has the same behavior and habitat as Parias popeiorum.

In addition, this species differs from Trimeresurus albolabris and Trimeresurus popeiorum slightly more elongated head and stripes across the front of the body. However, it will be difficult for a person who does not study these species to distinguish between them.
Danger: Tests on the action of the poison of this species have not yet been carried out, but there are suggestions that it is similar to poison Trimeresurus popeiorum.

Keffiyeh Vairota


Trimeresurus (Craspedocephalus) wiroti(Wirot's Pit Viper) (Trutnau, 1981)


External description: In addition to red-brown color variations, there are also gray-brown individuals with black spots on the back or gray to gray-brown individuals with green or greenish spots.

Length: up to 89 cm, usually less.

Area: Southern Thailand (provinces of Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat and Trang), West Malaysia.

Habitat: Keffiy Vairota live in tropical rainforests up to 750 meters above sea level. According to information from local trappers in southern Thailand, this species lives mostly near streams, rivers or other bodies of water.

This snake was first discovered near the city of Amphoe Chawang in the province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, but it will most likely not be seen there again, since the entire surrounding area has been transferred to rubber plantations. None of the villagers interviewed in 2004 could remember encountering this snake in the past 10 years.

Lifestyle/Character: Most often, these snakes are found on the ground, near the ground or in low bushes, however, in recent literature, it has been written about the discovery of these keffis on the tops of trees at a height of more than 20 meters from the ground.

The keffis of Vairota are nocturnal. The basis of their diet is made up of frogs, less often - rodents and birds.
This type of keffi lays eggs. The clutch usually contains 13-17 eggs. The length of the hatched snakes is about 24 cm.

Temple keffiyeh


Tropidolaemus wagleri(Wagler's Pitviper, Temple Pitviper) (Boie, 1827)


External description: Temple keffis are very diverse in their appearance. Sometimes the different colors of these keffiyehs are called "fazams" and earlier researchers classified the different phases as subspecies. Some color variants may have a black or brown base color with orange and yellow stripes, while others may have a light green base color with yellowish, bluish or reddish stripes (usually the second variant has much thinner stripes).


Length: Maximum up to 100 cm. Males grow smaller than females.

Area: Southern Thailand (from Khao Sok and Takua Pa National Reserve to the border with Malaysia), South Vietnam, West Malaysia.

Habitat: Temple kufis inhabit mangrove forests, as well as the first and second tiers of tropical forests. In these forests, they are mainly found on shrubs and branches, at a height of about 2 meters.

Lifestyle/Character: Like many other kufis, temple kufis are nocturnal, descending to the ground at night for prey or hunting straight from the branches of trees for rodents or frogs running past. During the day they rest in the trees. These snakes do not move very much and sometimes spend weeks in the same place without moving. Moreover, during the day these snakes can be so lethargic that you can easily pick them up right from the branch (which I do not recommend you do, of course).


Danger: The bite of the temple keffiyeh is very painful, but not fatal.

Interesting fact: In local cults, the temple keffiyeh is considered the guardian of family happiness; superstitious natives even plant snakes on tree branches near the house. Temple keffiyeh is numerous in the Serpent Temple (Penang Island, off the west coast of Malacca), where they are brought by clergy (hence the name).

Based on information from the site http://www.siam-info.com/, as well as information from other open sources
Author (allegedly): J. Bulian
Author-translator: Andrey Minakov
The article uses photos taken from the Internet.