Bothrops is a genus of venomous pitvipers endemic to Central and South America. The
generic name, Bothrops, is derived from the Greek words bothros, meaning "pit", and ops,
meaning "eye" or "face", together an allusion to the heat-sensitive loreal pit organs. Members
of this genus are responsible for more human deaths in the Americas than any other group
of venomous snakes. Currently, 32 species are recognized.
Description These snakes range from small, never growing
to more than 50–70 cm, to large at over 200 cm in total length. Most are characterized
by having a sharp canthus rostralis and an unelevated snout.
The arrangement of the scales on top of the head is extremely variable; the number of
interorbital scales may be 3-14. Usually there are 7-9 supralabials and 9-11 sublabials.
There are 21-29 rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 139-240 ventral scales, and 30-86 subcaudals,
which are generally divided. Common names
Lacépède originally applied the name "lanceheads" to all of these snakes, which he considered
conspecific. Thus, older writings, as well as popular and sometimes scientific writings,
still often call them fer-de-lance. However, many scientists and hobbyists now restrict
this name to the Martinican species, B. lanceolatus. Other common names include American lanceheads
and American lance-headed vipers. Geographic range
Found in northeastern Mexico southward through Central and South America to Argentina, Bothrops
species also occur on the islands of Saint Lucia and Martinique in the Lesser Antilles,
as well as on Ilha da Queimada Grande off the coast of Brazil.
Behavior Most species are nocturnal, although a few
found at higher altitudes are active during the day. Otherwise, they may be seen on cloudy
days or during periods of rain. Most are terrestrial, though all are capable of climbing. One species,
B. insularis, which is endemic to Ilha da Queimada Grande, is considered to be semiarboreal.
This species, unlike most Bothrops, preys primarily on birds, due to the absence of
native mammal species on Queimada Grande. This feeding habit probably accounts for their
more arboreal lifestyle compared with their mainland cousins.
Venom Members of this genus are responsible for
more fatalities in the Americas than any other group of venomous snakes. In this regard,
the most important species are B. asper, B. atrox and B. jararaca. Without treatment,
the fatality rate is estimated to be about 7%, but with treatment this is reduced to
0.5-3%. Typical symptoms of bothropic envenomation
include immediate burning pain, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, headache, massive
swelling of the bitten extremity, hemorrhagic blebs, local necrosis, bleeding from the nose
and gums, ecchymosis, erythemia, hypotension, tachycardia, coagulopathy with hypofibrinogenemia
and thrombocytopenia, hematemesis, melena, epistaxis, hematuria, intracerebral hemorrhage
and renal failure secondary to hypotension and bilateral cortical necrosis. There is
usually some discoloration around the bite site, and rashes may develop on the torso
or the extremities. In general, death results from hypotension
secondary to blood loss, renal failure, and intracranial hemorrhage. Common complications
include necrosis and renal failure secondary to shock and the toxic effects of the venom.
Species *) Not including the nominate subspecies.T)
Type species Taxonomy
Other species may be encountered in literature, such as:
B. alcatraz - Marques, Martins & Sazima, 2002. Range: Brazil, common name: jararaca-de-Alcatrazes
B. muriciensis - Ferrarezzi & Freire, 2001. Range: northeastern Brazil, ccommon name:
Murici lancehead. See also
List of crotaline species and subspecies Bothrops by common name
Bothrops by taxonomic synonyms Crotalinae by common name
Crotalinae by taxonomic synonyms Snakebite
References
External links Bothrops at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database.
Accessed 6 December 2007. Bothrops at Herpbreeder.com. Accessed 26 September
2006. List of Bothrops Complex by scientific name
at Jadin Expeditions. Accessed 7 November 2006.
Nomi Rettili Italiano - Inglese at serpenti.it. Accessed 7 November 2006.
Graphic image of B. atrox bite at Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp. Accessed 26
June 2007. Serpientes de Venezuela
Video of Bothrops jararacussu on YouTube. Accessed 6 December 2007.
Video of Bothrops moojeni on YouTube. Accessed 6 December 2007.