Bothriechis schlegelii

Eyelash viper ( Bothriechis schlegelii )

The Eyelash viper ( Bothriechis schlegelii ) is a venomous snake belonging to the family of vipers ( Viperidae ).

Features

Eyelash vipers are 60, sometimes just over 80 inches long. Females are larger than males. They are of very variable color and can green, olive green, blue, brown, yellow or yellow-brown to be. The underside is yellow or green. Wherein the green and yellow-brown, there are often instances zigzag bands or a net-like pattern of red or brown spots on the base color. The head of the Terciopelos is clearly separated from the rest of the body and has a triangular shape. The eye has a vertical pupil. About the eye there are two or three horn-like towering shed. The animals are dentate solenoglyph; in the upper jaw there are two long fangs that are folded and its mouth closed to the rear.

Dissemination

The Eyelash viper inhabits Central America, from Mexico to Panama and the middle far north- west of South America in Colombia parts, western Ecuador and in a small area in Venezuela. She lives on trees in the plains and in the mountains, in humid rain forests and plantations.

Nutrition

They feed on mice, small birds, lizards and frogs.

Reproduction

The Eyelash viper propagates throughout the year continued on. She is like all the species are viviparous ( Ovoviviparie ), and brings after a gestation 4-5 months 6 to 22 young snakes to the world that are at birth from 10 to 20 inches long.

System

The Eyelash viper 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, the Eyelash viper is a very basal type, which is regarded as sister species of all other Palm Terciopelos:

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 )

Toxicity

The Eyelash viper is highly toxic, does not warn of the poison bite and come across distances of up to half a body length. The poison has tissue destructive and neurotoxic components. It often leads to accidents involving workers in banana and other plantations, but usually not fatal. The poison but is often underestimated, especially in the terrarium and can lead to amputations and severe mutilations.