spiny bush viper

Spiny bush viper

African bush vipers are carnivorous, and primarily eat small rodents.

The Hairy bush viper is a spectacular keeled tree viper species found in the DR Congo. African Bush Viper Coiled to Strike. The Hairy bush viper is a large scaled spectacular snake species found in Central Africa. Snakes are perfectly adapted predators. Able to strike with power,speed and in this case venom as well. The Great Lakes bush viper is found around the great lakes of East Africa.

Spiny bush viper

Spiny bush vipers are part of class Reptilia and are native to central Africa. They can be found in tropical regions like rainforests. Their scientific name comes from the Greek words meaning hairy and tailed. These spiny-scaled, venomous snakes are relatively small and get their name from the keeled scales on their bodies. These creatures are also semi-arboreal, preferring to climb in trees for most of the day. Their venom is neurotoxic and can cause organ hemorrhaging, but toxicity varies with each individual. Spiny bush vipers are part of the family Viperidae and are related to venomous snakes like rattlesnakes and vipers found in tropical areas across Asia. They are small reptiles, only growing up to 29 inches for males and 23 inches for females. Males have long and slender bodies compared to the more stout bodies of females. Their bodies are covered in green or brownish keeled scales that give them a bristly appearance, earning them the name of spiny bush viper. The scales are longest at the head and slowly diminish in size as they go down the back. Their heads are triangular and broad, with narrow necks, short snouts, and large eyes with vertically elliptical pupils. Their tails are prehensile, which helps them to grasp, climb, and hang upside down. The habitat of spiny bush vipers includes rainforests, woodlands, and swamps. Because they are excellent climbers, they can often be found at heights between 2, and 7, feet.

The scales are longest at the head and slowly diminish in size as they go down the back. Learn about our Editorial Process.

The spiny bush viper, aka African hairy bush viper, rough-scaled tree viper, rough-scaled bush viper, hairy bush viper, or hairy viper, hails from the northern and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, western Kenya, southwestern Uganda, and northwestern Tanzania. They prefer rainforests and tropical dry forests with plenty of flowering bushes for cover. These vipers are nocturnal active at night. Spiny bush vipers are arboreal spend their lives in bushes and trees. Gestation pregnancy lasts up to 7 months and yields up to 12 snakelets. Did you know…?

It is a small to medium sized species of viper that typically only grows to around 2 foot in length with Males generally growing larger than females. In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup. The Spiny Bush Viper belongs to the Viperidae family of snakes. This essentially means that they are a viper. Other popular families of snake include Elapids, Pythons and Boas. Vipers are renowned for their large, hinged fangs that can penetrate venom deep into their victims for maximum efficiency. Many species of vipers dont actually have very potent venom but it is still deadly as they can inject very large quantities of it with a single bite. Another common feature among most vipers is that they are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young as opposed to laying eggs. This subfamily is endemic to Europe, Asia and Africa and contains 13 genera of snakes. They can be characterised by their lack of heat sensing pits while the closely related sub family of Pit Vipers Crotalinae have heat sensing pits.

Spiny bush viper

The bush viper is a venomous reptile in Africa. The snakes typically prefer low and thick flowering bush and rainforests. A solitary creature, the bush viper is arboreal and terrestrial. Their colors make for exceptional camouflage. They blend into their ecosystems and ambush prey. Bush vipers are predators, sinking their fangs into prey while dangling from a tree limb. For the hunt, the bush viper uses two hollow front fangs. When they bite, prey gets injected with a hemotoxic venom that cripples its defenses.

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Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. Green Bush Viper with open mouth - Venomous Snake. African bush vipers are carnivorous, and primarily eat small rodents. The Hairy bush viper is a spectacular keeled tree viper species found in the DR Congo. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Create profiles to personalise content. The eye and the supralabials are separated by a single row of scales. African bush Viper Atheris squamigera. Read Edit View history. These vipers are nocturnal active at night. Giant African Millipede. They hunt mostly in trees but can hunt for mammalian prey on the ground. Great Plated Lizard. African bush vipers are ambush predators, and commonly strike their prey while hanging upside down from a tree limb.

The spiny bush viper is a fascinating creature that dwells within the dense rainforests of Central and East Africa. This small snake, also known as Atheris hispida, bears a unique appearance with its rough, spiky scales covering its body.

Giant Day Gecko. Great Plated Lizard. Want to suggest a critter for me to write about? They prefer rainforests and tropical dry forests with plenty of flowering bushes for cover. African bush vipers are ambush predators, and commonly strike their prey while hanging upside down from a tree limb. Phone: Buffalo Weaver. Reproduction and Offspring. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. The Mouflon 22 February, The iStock design is a trademark of iStockphoto LP. African Penguin.

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