ANIMALS – REPTILES – SNAKES – CROSSED PIT VIPER (BOTHROPS ALTERNATUS)

Animals - Reptiles - Snakes

Crossed Pit Viper (Bothrops alternatus)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Subphylum : Vertebrata
Class : Reptilia
Order : Squamata
Suborder : Serpentes
Family : Viperidae
Subfamily : Crotalinae
Genus : Bothrops
Species : B. Alternatus

Description:

The Crossed Pit Viper (Bothrops alternatus) is a venomous pit viper species found in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Within its range, it is an important cause of snakebite. The specific name, alternatus, which is Latin for "alternating", is apparently a reference to the staggered markings along the body. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Large and stout, this terrestrial species reportedly exceeds 2 m (6.6 ft) in total length, although the verified maximum is 169 cm (67 in). Most specimens are 80–120 cm (31–47 in) in total length, with females being significantly longer and heavier than males.

Occurs in tropical and semitropical forests, as well as temperate deciduous forests. According to Gallardo (1977), it prefers marshes, low-lying swamps, riparian zones and other humid habitats. It is also said to be common in sugarcane plantations. It is found in a variety of habitats depending on the latitude, including open fields and rocky areas in the Sierra de Achiras in Córdoba and the Sierra de la Ventana in Buenos Aires in Argentina, fluvial areas, grasslands and cerrado. However, it is usually absent in dry environments.

An important cause of snakebite within its range, bites are rarely fatal but frequently cause severe local tissue damage. Although Spix and Martius (1824) found that it had a reputation for being one of the most venomous snakes in Brazil, its bite "said to occasion almost certain death", the statistics tell a different story. In his survey of 6,601 snakebite cases in Central and South America, Fonseca (1949) found that 384 were attributed to this species and that, of that number, only eight were fatal (2%).

Binomial Name:

Name : Bothrops alternatus
Taxonomist : André Marie Constant Duméril (Amiens - France), Gabriel Bibron (Paris - France), Auguste Henri André Duméril (Paris - France)
Year : 1854
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : Many

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Not Evaluated, or not data available

Philatelic Issues

2001 - Uruguay - Stamp 2 of 2, from Snakes Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: May 28th, 2001
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 2 Stamps
Value: UYP 11

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated