Bitis cornuta

Bitis cornuta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Bitis
Species: B. cornuta
Binomial name
Bitis cornuta
(Daudin, 1803)
Synonyms
  • Vipera cornuta Daudin, 1803
  • Vipera armata A. Smith, 1826
  • Vip[era]. lophophris
    Cuvier, 1829
  • Vip[era]. lophophrys
    — Wagler, 1830
  • Vipera lophophris
    — Gray, 1831
  • Cerastes cornuta
    — Gray, 1842
  • Vipera (Echidna) atropoides A. Smith, 1846
  • Vipera atropoides
    — A. Smith, 1846
  • Clotho cornuta — Gray, 1849
  • Cerastes lophophrys
    — A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron &
    A.H.A. Duméril, 1854
  • V[ipera]. (Cerastes) cornuta
    — Jan, 1863
  • Vipera (Clotho) cornuta
    — Higgins, 1873
  • Bitis cornuta
    — Boulenger, 1896
  • Bitis cornuta cornuta
    — Bogert, 1940[1]
Common names: many-horned adder,[2] hornsman,[3] western hornsman adder, more.[4]

Bitis cornuta is a venomous viper species found in certain rocky desert areas, mostly along the Atlantic coast of southern Africa. They have characteristic tufts of "horns" above each eye.[3] Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.[5]

Description

Small and stout, they grow to an average total length (body + tail) of 30–50 cm (about 12-20 inches). The maximum recorded total length is 75 cm (30 in) for a captive specimen.[4]

There are two to five raised horn-like scales above each eye.[6]

Dorsally, it has a grey to reddish brown ground colour, overlaid with four longitudinal series of large dark brown blotches, which are squarish or parallelogram-like in shape, and edged with white. Ventrally, it is whitish or tan, either uniform or speckled with dark brown. On the dorsal surface of the head are dark symmetrical markings which may form an arrowhead.[6]

Common names

Common names include many-horned adder,[2] hornsman,[3] western hornsman adder, and western many-horned adder.[4]

Geographic range

The many-horned adder ranges from the coastal region of southwest Namibia through west and southwest Cape Province in South Africa, with a few isolated populations in eastern Cape Province.

The type locality given is "Cap de Bonne-espérance" (Cape of Good Hope, South Africa). Actually, according to Patterson's itinerary, the type was observed in coastal Namaqualand, on 1 September 1779.[1]

Habitat

This species prefers rocky desert areas in dwarf succulent veld and mountain slopes in heathland vegetation.[3]

Behavior

With a nervous disposition, when disturbed, it will hiss loudly and strike so energetically that most of its body is lifted off the ground in the process. However, it usually settles down in captivity.[3]

Subspecies

Species[1] Taxon author[1] Common name[4] Geographic range[4]
B. c. albanica Hewitt, 1937 Albany adder South Africa (east and south Cape Province)
B. c. cornuta (Daudin, 1803) Many-horned adder Southwest Namibia and South Africa (west Cape Province)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. 1 2 Bitis cornuta at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 August 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
  5. ↑ "Bitis cornuta". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 25 July 2006.
  6. 1 2 Boulenger GA. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the...Viperidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers.) xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.- XXV. (Bitis cornuta, pp. 497-498.)

Further reading

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