Atheris chlorechis | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Viperidae |
Genus: | Atheris |
Species: | A. chlorechis |
Binomial name | |
Atheris chlorechis (Pel, 1851) | |
Synonyms | |
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Atheris chlorechis is a viper species found only in the forests of West Africa. [1] [3] [5] No subspecies are currently recognized. It is the type species of its genus. [5] [6] It is venomous. [5] Atheris chlorechis venom can lead to major systemic envenoming, shock, blood loss due to coagulopathy, and renal failure. There is no antivenom.
Adults average 50 cm (20 inches) in total length (body + tail), with a maximum total length of 70 cm (28 in). The tail is relatively long. The body is relatively slender, with 25–36 midbody rows of dorsal scales. These are heavily keeled, with the keels ending in a swelling at the end of each scale. [3]
Adults have a uniform light green ground color, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm (about 1 in) apart. The belly is pale green in color. [3] Newborns are tan-brown in color, but this changes to a yellow-green hue with irregular dark spots within 24 hours. [7] This second color phase has been described as the reverse of that of the adults and is only seen in individuals less than 25 cm (9.8 in) in total length. [3] [7]
Western bush viper, [3] West African leaf viper, [4] West African tree viper. [8]
Atheris chlorechis is found in West Africa from Sierra Leone through Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Ghana to southern Togo. Records from Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon are considered erroneous. [1]
The type locality is listed as "Boutre, Ghana". [2] [5]
Found in forests, in dense foliage about 1–2 m (about 3–6 ft) above the ground. [3]
Said to feed on rodents, lizards and tree frogs. [3]
Gives birth to 6–9 young in March to April. Newborns are 131–151 mm (about 5–6 inches) in total length. [7]
Bitis nasicornis is a viper species belonging to the genus Bitis, part of a subfamily known as "puff-adders", found in the forests of West and Central Africa. This large viper is known for its striking coloration and prominent nasal "horns". No subspecies are currently recognized. Its common names include butterfly viper, rhinoceros viper, river jack and many more. Like all other vipers, it is venomous.
The puff adder is a highly venomous viper species found in savannahs and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rainforest regions. It is responsible for causing the most snakebite fatalities in Africa owing to various factors, such as its wide distribution, frequent occurrence in highly populated regions, and aggressive disposition. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Trimeresurus cantori, commonly known as Cantor's pit viper or Cantor's pitviper, is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the Subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Nicobar Islands of India. It was named after Theodore Edward Cantor (1809-1860), a Danish naturalist serving as a surgeon with the East India Company in Calcutta. No subspecies are recognized as being valid.
Atheris squamigera is a venomous viper species endemic to west and central Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Atheris is a genus of vipers known as bush vipers. They are found only in tropical subsaharan Africa and many species have isolated and fragmented distributions due to their confinement to rain forests. 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. Seventeen species 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.
Montatheris is a monotypic genus created for the viper species, Montatheris hindii, a venomous snake also known by the common names Kenya mountain viper, Kenya montane viper, montane viper, and Hind's viper. This is a small terrestrial species endemic to Kenya. There are no subspecies which are recognized as being valid.
Vipera ammodytes, commonly known as horned viper, long-nosed viper, nose-horned viper, and sand viper, poskok is a species of viper found in southern Europe, mainly northern Italy, the Balkans, and parts of Asia Minor. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. It is reputed to be the most dangerous of the European vipers due to its large size, long fangs and high venom toxicity. The specific name, ammodytes, is derived from the Greek words ammos, meaning "sand", and dutes, meaning "burrower" or "diver", despite its preference for rocky habitats. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
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 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 katangensis, also known as the Katanga Mountain bush viper and other common names, is a species of venomous viper found in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Zambia. No subspecies are currently recognized.
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 rungweensis, commonly known as the Rungwe tree viper, Mt Rungwe bush viper, and Rungwe leaf viper, is a species of venomous viper found in East Africa.
Causus maculatus is viper species found mainly in West- and Central Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized. Common names include forest rhombic night adder, West African night adder and spotted night adder. Like all other vipers, it is venomous.
Causus lichtensteinii is a viper species endemic to western, central, and eastern Africa. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid. Like all other vipers, it is venomous.
Craspedocephalus puniceus is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Southeast Asia. Common names include: flat-nosed pitviper, flat-nosed pit viper, and ashy pit viper. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Trimeresurus sumatranus is a species of venomous pitviper found in the tropical forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Arboreal by nature, its coloration is pale to neon-green, with some black vertical markings, and a red-tipped tail. As with other vipers, this species has prominent, “keeled” scales, which appear somewhat raised and give the snake a rough-textured appearance. Common names include Sumatran pitviper, Sumatran tree viper, and Sumatran pit viper.