Soufh America and ihe Wesi Indies 



strongly keeled, keels tending to be tubertulate along 

 back, in 23-27 rows at midbody, fewer posteriorly. Ven- 

 trals 170-186 ; subcaudals 44-GG, all or nearly all paired. 



Distribution: Xear rivers and lakes in soutbern Bra- 

 zil, eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, and nortbern Argentina. 



Remarks: Tbis is an amphibious species and may be 

 found in the water. It is not a very common snake, 

 but produces a very toxic venom in large amounts 

 (averaging more than 100 mg. in a milking) ; it is one 

 of four species of snakes which cause most fatalities 

 from snakebite in Brazil. A common early symptom of 

 its bite is blindness. 



Antivenins (polyvalent) using the venom of li. jarara- 

 ciissii are produced by Behringwerke of Germany, In- 

 stituto Butantan and Instituto Pinheiros of Brazil, and 

 the Instituto Nacional de Microbiologia of Argentina. 



Fer-de-Lance, Bofhrop.s lanceolatus (Lacepede). 



Idoitificntidii: A lancehead recognized by its dark 

 truncated lateral blotches and high numbers of dorsals 

 and ventrals: the only venomous snake on Martinique. 

 Adults average 4 to 5 feet ; occasional individuals at- 

 tain lengths of about 7 feet. 



Head brow-n with a sharply defined darker postorbital 

 band that extends down to the corner of the mouth. 

 Body gray, olive, or l)rown with an obscure series of 

 22-27 hour-glass-shaped blotches down the back. Ven- 

 tral surface white or cream with a few grayish or brown 

 stipple marks anteriorl.v, more posteriorly. 



Dorsals strongly keeled, in 31- .SS rows at midbody, 

 fewer (29) anteriorly and posteriorly (21-23). Ven- 

 trals 215-230 ; subcaudals paired, .'56-67. 



Jararaca pintado, Bothrops neuiriedi Wagler. 



IdcntificatiDii: A distinctly-patterned tan or grayish 

 pit viper with a distinctive pattern on the crown. 

 Adults average 2 to 3 feet in length. 



Crown of head light tan or brown with a series of 

 distinct spots; often a U-shaped mark on the rear part of 

 the head, the two arms of the "U" sometimes connected 

 with the bod.v i)attern. Pattern geographically variable 

 but basically a paired series of small triangular or 

 rbomboidal black or dark brown dorsal blotches that 

 alternate or fuse across the back to form small X-shaped 

 markings. Rounded dark spots may fall between the 

 main series on the miclline and a lateral series of small 

 si)ots alternates with the dorsal blotches. All of the 





Figure 41. — Fer-de-Lance, Ilothr<)i).i liiHccolatiis. The 

 snake to which the name, Fer-de-Lance, rightfully be- 

 longs is found only on the i.sland of JIartinique. 

 Photo by New York Zoological Society. 



Distrihiitinii: Found only on the West Indian island 

 of Martinique ; originally over the entire island but now 

 restricted to the less inhabited forests. 



Figure 42. — .Jararaca pintada, liothrops iicuiriedi. The 

 "V" mark on the rear of the bead is distinctive. 

 Photo by Isabelle Hunt Conant. 



markings may be outlined with bright yellow. Ground 

 color tan or light gray. Belly yellowish, some ventrals 

 edged with gray. 



Dorsals strongly keeled, in 21-27 rows at midbody. 

 Ventrals 16.3-1S7 ; subcaudals 40-53, all paired. 



Distribution: Grasslands and oi)en country on the 

 plateau of southern Brazil, eastern Bolivia. Paraguay, 

 and northern Argentina. 



Remarks: This is a rather small snake but it ranges 

 over a large area of southern South America. It is one 

 of the major sources of snakebite in Argentina. 



Polyvalent antivenins are produced by Behringwerke 

 of Germany, and the Instituto Nacional de Microbiologia, 

 Argentina. 



CROTALIDAE: Genus Crotalus Linnaeus, 1758. 



Kuttlesnakes. 



About 25 species of rattlesnakes are currently recog- 

 nized. Most species are in the southwestern United 



67 



