Mexico and Cenfral America 



Lansberg's Hognose Viper, /lofhro/is lunsberg'd 

 (Schlegel). 



Identificatiiiii : A small brownish ground viper with 

 upturned snout and a series of angular blotches down 

 the back, separated into pairs by a light vertebral line. 

 Body short and moderatel.v stout ; head broad. Adults 

 average 18 to 24 inches in length. 



Ground color light brown, tan. or gray with a dorsal 

 series of paired dark brown blotches separated from 

 one another by a thin light line; broadly separated from 

 low lateral .series of spots. 



Canthus raised and sharp, snout raised and pointed. 

 Eye separated from supralabials by 2-3 rows of small 

 scales. Dor.sals 25-27, heavily keeled. Ventrals 152- 

 l.")9 : subcaudals 29-35. all single. 



Distriliiitioii : In semiarid forest and brushy areas 

 from Southern Mexico and (Juateniala through Central 

 America to Colombia and northern Venezuela. 



Rcniuihs : This is one of several hognose vii)ers that 

 inhabit the dryer areas of Central and northern South 

 America. The similar B. nasiitiis Bocourt is found from 

 Mexico over much the same regioji but generall.v in more 

 moist situations. 



Jumping Viper, liothropa numinifer (Kiippell ). 



hh'iitificutiiin : A short, thick-bodied viper with dark 

 .saddle-shaped blotches on a tan or gray background. 

 Adults average 18 to 24 inches in length. 



Ground color tan, light brown or gray with ahoul 20 

 dark brown or black rhomboid blotches (hnvn the back, 

 tliese often connected with lateral sjiots to fr>rm narrow 

 crosshands. Top of head dark with obliipie postorbital 

 band forming uiiper limit of light color on sides of head. 

 \'entral color whitish, sometimes blotched with dark 

 brown. ' Snout rotiniled, cantlms sharp. Rod.v exceed- 

 ingly stout ; tail short. 





Figure 29. — Jumping \'ipcr. Botliioiix iiiiiinnifcr. With 

 its coarse scales and diamond-shaped markings, this 

 snake is sometimes mistaken for a young bushmaster 

 (.Lacliesis iiii(tii.s). The uoiispecialized tail tip (see 

 fig. 32) distinguishes it. I'hoto by New York Zoo- 

 logical Society. 



Dorsals strongly keeled, tiilici'cular in large indi- 

 vidnals, in 2.3-27 rows at midliody fewer (10) jiosteri- 



orly. Ventrals 121-1.S5 ; subcaudals 2G-36. all or mostly 

 single. Eye separated from labials by 3-4 rows of small 

 scales. 



Distiihiitiitii : Low hilly rain forest and plantations 

 from southern Mexico to Panama. 



licmarks: This is the large.st of the smaller terres- 

 trial tropical vipers. With Its stout body it can strike 

 for a dl.stance greater than its own body length. How- 

 ever, it has relatively short fangs and its venom is 

 not highly toxic. 



Eyelash Viper, Bothiops Kchlegeli! (Berthold). 



IdentificatitDi : A green, tan, or yellow tree viper 

 with raised and pointed scales above the eye. Body 

 moderately stmit, with a prehensile tail : head broad and 

 distinct. Adults average IG to 24 inches in length. 



Ground color green, olive-green, tan or yellow with 

 scattered black dots which may form irregular cross- 

 bands. Green and tan individuals commoidy have nar- 

 row reddish and brown crosshands or a reticulated pat- 

 tern of red. Belly green or .vellow, spotted with black. 



FloiHE .30. — Eyelash Aiper. lifilhinpx .irlilrfirlii. IMmli 

 by New York Zniil,ja;ical Societ.r. 



Canthus sharp; a row of small s<ales above eye. 2-3 

 of them raised and pointed. Dorsals 19-25. moderately 

 keeled. Ventrals 1.3.8~](i2; subcatulals 47-0.2. all single. 



Dixliihiilioii : In trees ami l>ushes through rain forest 

 areas aiul cacao iilantations from southern Mexico 

 southward through Central America to Ecuador and 

 Venezuela. 



Kcniaihs : There are several green "palm vii)ers" but 

 /?. sclirgclii is the most <-ommouly seen and is the only 

 one with the raised scales above the eye. None apjtears 

 to be highly dangercuis aiul no specific antivenin is jiro- 

 duced for this group of lance-headed vijiers. 



CROTALIDAE: Genus Croto/us Linnaeus, 1758. 



Haillt'stmki's. 



About 25 species of rattlesnakes are currently recog- 

 nized. Most specie.s are in the southwestern United 

 States and northern Jlexico. One species ( C (UtriKsiis) 

 ranges southward into southern South America, two are 

 found east of the Mississippi River, and two as far 

 north as Canada. A few of the very small species, and 

 small individuals of large species (less than 2 feet) may 



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