![]() | This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information.(June 2011) |
Atheris | |
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Atheris hispida | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Viperidae |
Subfamily: | Viperinae |
Genus: | Atheris Cope, 1862 |
Synonyms | |
Atheris is a genus of vipers known as bush vipers. [2] They are found only in tropical subsaharan Africa (excluding southern Africa) [1] and many species have isolated and fragmented distributions due to their confinement to rain forests. [3] Like all other vipers, they are venomous. In an example of convergent evolution, they show many similarities to the arboreal pit vipers of Asia and South America. [2] Seventeen species are currently recognized. [4]
They are relatively small in size, with adults ranging in total length (body + tail) from 55 cm (22 in) for A. katangensis to a maximum of 78 cm (31 in) for A. squamigera . [2]
All species have a broad, triangular head that is distinct from the neck. The canthus is also distinct and the snout is broad. The crown is covered with small imbricate or smooth scales, none of which is enlarged. The eyes are relatively large with elliptical pupils. The eyes are separated from the supralabials by 1–3 scale rows and from the nasal by 2–3 scales. [3]
The body is slender, tapering, and slightly compressed. The dorsal scales are overlapping, strongly keeled and have apical pits. Laterally these are smaller than the middorsals. Midbody there are 14–36 rows of dorsal scales. There are 133–175 rounded ventral scales. The subcaudal scales are single and number 38–67. [2] [3] The tail is strongly prehensile and can support the body while suspended from a branch or a twig. [5]
Members of this genus come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, often within a single species. A. ceratophora and A. squamigera are particularly variable. [6]
They inhabit rainforest regions and forests, mostly in remote areas far from human activity. [2]
They are found in tropical subsaharan Africa, excluding southern Africa. [1] Some species have only isolated populations, surviving in small sections of ancient rainforest. They once had a much wider distribution but are now declining. [2]
Some species are threatened by habitat destruction. [2] A major cause of illness and mortality in both caged and wild bush viper snakes is Snake fungal disease(SFD). [7]
All species have extreme aggressive tendencies. All species are arboreal, although they can sometimes be found on or near the ground. [6]
Atheris species have been known to prey upon a variety of small amphibians, lizards, rodents, birds, and even other snakes. Some species or populations may specialize in eating frogs, but most have been described as opportunistic feeders. [3] [6] Prey is typically ambushed from a hanging position, held until it has succumbed to the venom, and then swallowed. [6]
All Atheris species are ovoviviparous. [5] Mating takes place in October and November, and the females give birth to live young in March and April. [8]
A. squamigera is reported to do very well in captivity, needing only arboreal access and having no particular temperature requirements. Captive specimens take mice and small birds. [3] However, there have been reports of cannibalism. [6] Food may be refused during the African winter months of July and August.
Not much is known about their venom except that it is strongly hemotoxic, causing pain, swelling and blood clotting problems. [2] Until recently, their venom has often been regarded as less toxic than that of many other species, perhaps because bites are uncommon, [3] but this turned out not to be the case. There are now a number of reports of bites that have led to severe hemorrhaging. [9] [10] [11] One case was fatal. [3] Atheris-specific antivenom does not exist [2] and antivenom meant for bites from other species seem to have little effect, although Echis antivenom has been reported to have been of some help in a case of A. squamigera envenomation. [3] Symptomatic replacement therapy is applied due to the absence of an Atheris specific antivenom. [12]
Image | Species [1] | Taxon author [1] | Subsp.* [4] | Common name | Geographic range [1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A. acuminata | Broadley, 1998 | 0 | Acuminate bush viper | Western Uganda | |
A. anisolepis | Mocquard, 1887 | 0 | Mayombe bush viper | West central Africa: Gabon, Congo, west DR Congo, north Angola | |
A. barbouri | (Loveridge, 1930) | 0 | Barbour's short-headed viper, Uzungwe Mountain bush viper | The Udzungwa and Ukinga mountains in southern Tanzania | |
A. broadleyi | D. Lawson, 1999 | 0 | Broadley's bush viper [13] | Cameroon, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Congo | |
![]() | A. ceratophora | F. Werner, 1895 | 0 | Usambara eyelash viper | The Usambara and Uzungwe Mountains in Tanzania |
![]() | A. chlorechis T | (Pel, 1851) | 0 | West African bush viper | West Africa including Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, isolated locations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon |
A. desaixi | Ashe, 1968 | 0 | Mount Kenya bush viper, Ashe's bush viper | Two isolated populations in Kenya: in the forests at Chuka, south-eastern Mount Kenya, and Igembe in the northern Nyambeni range | |
A. hirsuta | R. Ernst & Rödel, 2002 | 0 | Tai hairy bush viper | Ivory Coast | |
A. hetfieldi [14] [15] | Ceríaco, Marques, & Bauer, 2020 | 0 | Hetfield’s bush viper | Bioko island, Equatorial Guinea | |
![]() | A. hispida | Laurent, 1955 | 0 | African hairy bush viper | Central Africa: DR Congo, south-west Uganda, west Kenya |
A. katangensis | de Witte, 1953 | 0 | Katanga mountain bush viper | Restricted to Upemba National Park, Shaba Province in eastern DR Congo | |
A. mabuensis | Branch & Bayliss, 2009 [16] | 0 | Mount Mabu forest viper | Mount Mabu and Mount Namuli, northern Mozambique | |
A. matildae | Menegon, Davenport & Howell, 2011 | 0 | Matilda's horned viper | south west Tanzania | |
A. mongoensis | Collet & Trape, 2020 | 0 | Mongo hairy bush viper | Democratic Republic of Congo | |
![]() | A. nitschei | Tornier, 1902 | 0 | Great Lakes bush viper | Central Africa from east DR Congo, Uganda and west Tanzania southward to north Malawi and north Zambia. |
A. rungweensis | Bogert, 1940 | 0 | Mt. Rungwe bush viper | southwestern Tanzania, northeastern Zambia, northern Malawi | |
![]() | A. squamigera | (Hallowell, 1856) | 0 | Variable bush viper | West and central Africa: Ivory Coast and Ghana, eastward through southern Nigeria to Cameroon, southern Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo, DR Congo, northern Angola, Uganda, Tanzania (Rumanika Game Reserve), western Kenya, and Bioko Island |
A. subocularis | Fischer, 1888 | 0 | Cameroon | ||
*) Not including the nominate subspecies
T) Type species
Other species may be encountered in literature, such as: [17] [18]
Until relatively recently, the following species, all of which are terrestrial, were also included in the genus Atheris: [3]
Together with Atheris, these three genera are sometimes referred to as the tribe Atherini. [18]
The Viperidae (vipers) are a family of snakes found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, New Zealand, Ireland, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of their venom. Three subfamilies are currently recognized. They are also known as viperids. The name "viper" is derived from the Latin word vipera, -ae, also meaning viper, possibly from vivus ("living") and parere, referring to the trait viviparity common in vipers like most of the species of Boidae.
Russell's viper is a highly venomous snake in the family Viperidae native to South Asia. It was described in 1797 by George Shaw and Frederick Polydore Nodder. It is named after Patrick Russell and is one of the big four snakes in India.
Bitis is a genus of venomous vipers found in Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. It includes the largest and the smallest vipers in the world. Members are known for their characteristic threat displays that involve inflating and deflating their bodies while hissing and puffing loudly. The type species for this genus is B. arietans, which is also the most widely distributed viper in Africa. Currently, 18 species are recognized.
Crotalus scutulatus is known commonly as the Mohave Rattlesnake. Other common English names include Mojave Rattlesnake and, referring specifically to the nominate (northern) subspecies: Northern Mohave Rattlesnake and Mojave Green Rattlesnake, the latter name commonly shortened to the more colloquial “Mojave green”. Campbell and Lamar (2004) supported the English name “Mohave (Mojave) rattlesnake” with some reluctance because so little of the snake’s range lies within the Mojave Desert.
Trimeresurus albolabris, the white-lipped pit viper or white-lipped tree viper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Southeast Asia.
Atheris squamigera is a venomous viper species endemic to west and central Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Echis is a genus of vipers found in the dry regions of Africa, the Middle East, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. They have a characteristic threat display, rubbing sections of their body together to produce a "sizzling" warning sound. The name Echis is the Latin transliteration of the Greek word for "viper" (ἔχις). Like all vipers, they are venomous. Their common name is "saw-scaled vipers" and they include some of the species responsible for causing the most snakebite cases and deaths in the world. Twelve species are currently recognized.
Atheris barbouri is a small and rare species of terrestrial viper endemic to the Uzungwe and Ukinga mountains of south-central Tanzania in Africa.
Proatheris is a monotypic genus created for the viper species, Proatheris superciliaris. This is a small terrestrial species endemic to East Africa. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Atheris ceratophora is a venomous viper species endemic to a few mountain ranges in Tanzania. This used to be the only horned, arboreal viper known from Africa, until the discovery in 2011 of Atheris matildae, also found in Tanzania. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Atheris chlorechis is a viper species found only in the forests of West Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized. It is the type species of its genus. It is venomous. Atheris chlorechis venom can lead to major systemic envenoming, shock, blood loss due to coagulopathy, and renal failure. There is no antivenom.
Atheris desaixi, commonly known as the Mount Kenya bush viper, Ashe's bush viper, or Desaix's bush viper, is a venomous species of viper endemic to Kenya, where only two isolated populations are known. It is known for its striking black and yellow coloration. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Atheris hispida is a viper species endemic to Central Africa. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. It is known for its extremely keeled dorsal scales that give it a bristly appearance. No subspecies are currently recognized. Common names include rough-scaled bush viper, spiny bush viper, hairy bush viper, and others.
Atheris nitschei is a species of venomous snake, a viper in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to Africa. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
Atheris anisolepis, otherwise known as the Mayombe bush-viper, is a species of viper endemic to west-central Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized. The Atheris anisolepis is very similar to the Atheris squamigera but it is differentiated by the complete row of scales between the supralabial scales and the ocular scales as well as having enlarged, smooth, and/or weekly keeled scales. However, this differentiation does not always apply and may not always be accurate.
Bitis parviocula is a venomous viper species found only in Ethiopia. It is large with a broad head and spectacular geometric markings. In 1995, the species was known from only three specimens, but additional information has surfaced since then. Little is known about its natural history or its venom. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Jameson's mamba is a species of highly venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to equatorial Africa. A member of the mamba genus, Dendroaspis, it is slender with dull green upper parts and cream underparts and generally ranges from 1.5 to 2.2 m in total length. Described by Scottish naturalist Thomas Traill in 1843, it has two recognised subspecies. The nominate subspecies is found in central and western sub-Saharan Africa, and the eastern black-tailed subspecies is found eastern sub-Saharan Africa, mainly western Kenya.
Most snakebites are caused by non-venomous snakes. Of the roughly 3,700 known species of snake found worldwide, only 15% are considered dangerous to humans. Snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica. There are two major families of venomous snakes, Elapidae and Viperidae. 325 species in 61 genera are recognized in the family Elapidae and 224 species in 22 genera are recognized in the family Viperidae, In addition, the most diverse and widely distributed snake family, the colubrids, has approximately 700 venomous species, but only five genera—boomslangs, twig snakes, keelback snakes, green snakes, and slender snakes—have caused human fatalities.
Atheris broadleyi, or Broadley's bush viper, is an arboreal species of viper found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, and (possibly) Nigeria. The species gets its name in honour of the late Donald G. Broadley, a famous African herpetologist. As with all vipers, A. broadleyi is venomous.