Bothriechis bicolor

Two-color Palm Lanzenotter

The Two-Tone Palm Lanzenotter ( Bothriechis bicolor) is a species of palm Terciopelos ( Bothriechis ) within the pit vipers ( Crotalinae ). Its distribution area is limited to the southern Mexico and the highlands of Guatemala and Honduras isolated on parts.

Features

The Two-Tone Palm Lanzenotter reaches a body length of up to about 70 centimeters, with individual specimens and up to a meter are long. She has a full-grown animal, a green or blue-green ground color, young snakes, however, are colored green. The belly is yellowish green, and the tail is black. As a rule, the snake has no drawing, occasionally occur black spots or bluish areas. The head is on the top unsigned and uniformly green, a temple strap is usually absent. The iris is green.

Distribution and habitat

The distribution of snake is restricted to the eastern Chiapas in Mexico and the highlands of Guatemala. She is there only in the cloud forests of higher layers before between 1200 to 2300 meters. In Honduras, it also comes isolated against in the area of ​​Sierra de Merendon and the Cerro Santa Bárbara.

System

The Two-Tone Palm fer de lance is one of seven species of palm Terciopelos ( Bothriechis ) and thus the American pit vipers. Until a few years the entire genus was assigned to the American Terciopelos ( Bothrops ). After the revision of the former wholesale genus by Burger in 1971 and Steven D. Werman 1992, the assignment was made as a separate genus.

Within the Palm Terciopelos it represents the sister species of yellow-green palm Lanzenotter (B. lateralis), with which it shares common features, especially the body and head scalation and molecular biological characteristics. Together, these two species are closest related to March's Palm Lanzenotter (B. marchi ).

Ophryacus undulatus (as sister species )

Eyelash viper ( B. schlegelii )

Schwarzgefleckte Palm Lanzenotter (B. nigroviridis )

Rowley's Palm Lanzenotter (B. rowleyi )

Gelbgefleckte Palm Lanzenotter (B. aurifer )

Green Yellow Palm Lanzenotter (B. lateralis)

Two-color Palm Lanzenotter (B. bicolor)

Marchs Palm Lanzenotter (B. marchi )

Snake venom

Venoms of pit vipers contain a mixture of enzymes, low molecular weight polypeptides, metal ions and other, in their function so far poorly understood components. Just as diverse are the effects of these toxins. As with all species of the genus, the venom of the Temple Viper two-colored Palm corresponding tissue destructive and neurotoxic components.