Bothrops jararacussu
Bothrops jararacussu
Bothrops jararacussu, also referred to as Jararacussu, is a pit viper of the genus American Terciopelos ( Bothrops ). The first scientific description led in 1884 by the Brazilian physician João Baptista de Lacerda. Among species are not known.
Features
The Jararacussu is a very large Viper, it reaches total lengths up to 150 cm. Females are sometimes over 200 cm long. The lance-shaped head that sets it apart from the neck and has on each side eight upper lip shields ( scutum supralabiale ), eleven lower lip shields ( scutum sublabiale ) and a small eye on when light is incident vertically slit pupil. The top of the head is shiny black and is separated by a bright band of a dark temporal fascia, which runs between the eye and mouth corners. The head underside is yellowish to orange- yellow. To the midsection run 23 to 27 rows of dorsal scales strongly gekielter. The body top is marked by black, alternately triangular and diamond-shaped angular spots that run together partly to a zigzag pattern. On the yellowish and irregularly mottled dark side of the abdomen show 166-188 abdominal signs ( Scutum ventral ) and 44-66 under tail- shields ( scutum subcaudale ).
Snake venom
Bothrops jararacussu has a Viper -tube, retractable fangs in the front upper jaw ( solenoglyphe tooth position ) through which a produced in venom glands snake venom ( Ophiotoxin ) is injected into the bite wound. The fangs of this type are conspicuously long and their venom is very potent. On top of the up to 300 milligrams extremely large amount of venom that can be delivered by a single bite. The lethality is not medically supervised gradients 15 to 18 percent. As a result of a bite of this kind there is damage to the blood system and cardiovascular system as well as tissue damage or even necrosis. Might encounter on a blindness.
Way of life
Bothrops jararacussu performs a water body near, mostly nocturnal lifestyle and proves to be a good swimmer. He's hiding in the undergrowth of the near shore vegetation and between rocks and boulders in the aquatic environment. Near the hiding places he is occasionally also be observed on the day basking in the sun. Generally, however, the species is very withdrawn, so it will be little contact with people. To the range of prey include small mammals besides various anurans. During the cooler season from July to September winter hiding as burrows, crevices or similar structures will be studied. The hibernation is now also broken. Bothrops jararacussu propagates through Ovoviviparie, so the females give birth to live young. From bred in captivity litters with a circumference of up to 40 young snakes are known. The animals measured at birth about 28 cm and molt for the first time after five days after birth.
Dissemination
Bothrops jararacussu comes in northeast Argentina, in the south of Bolivia and Paraguay, as well as in Brazil's Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul in the Middle East south of Espírito Santo up front. The species is on the IUCN Red List as " least concern " (not endangered) led, established by the wide distribution and the presence of intact forest ecosystems in the area of distribution. Local threat is the locally ubiquitous habitat destruction represents the residential habitats are moist forests and jungles. Frequently Bothrops jararacussu is to be found in the immediate vicinity waters (lakes, ponds, swamps and rivers). Some of them can be found further in cultivated areas. The Jararacussu is not so common nowadays, like other Bothrops species.