Cerastes cerastes

Desert horned viper ( cerastes cerastes )

The Desert horned viper ( cerastes cerastes ) is a living in North Africa, Israel and the Arabian Peninsula snake species from the family of vipers, more precisely, from the kind of the African Horn vipers. Characteristic design and name are each consisting of a scale squirrel above the eyes.

Mark

The Desert horned viper is one of the medium-sized vipers with a stocky body and a short, pointed tail. The scales on the back are keeled and arranged in 27-35 rows. The ventral scales are less strongly keeled. The paired tail shields are not consistently provided with a keel. Your skin is sand yellow to reddish brown with 30 to 36 brown spots or cross bands and smaller side patches continuously against his back spots. From the eyes, narrowed their pupil in bright light to vertical slits, passes a dark line to the mouth. The tail is also dark in color, while the underparts is very bright. The body length is usually 50 to 60 cm, rarely more than 70 cm. On the broad, triangular head, which is clearly separated from the body, sitting above the eyes pointed shed thorns, but which may be absent in some individuals.

Way of life

The Desert horned viper is primarily crepuscular and nocturnal. In the midday heat, it buries itself in the sand, hidden in mouse holes or under stones. Desert Horn vipers are found in very different habitats from the rocky Hamada to pure sand desert there, but more preferably in the area of plant collecting on. She moves fairly rapidly progressive overcoming page. They alternately lifts a piece of the body behind head and in front of the tail from the ground up and is putting it back on. The snake leaves the characteristic traces of the Sidewinder in the sand. With its angular scales the Desert horned viper can produce a rattling sound by rubbing together. For the preferred prey includes small vertebrates such as birds, lizards and rodents, but insects. The propagation takes place from mid-June in spring from late April. After 45 to 60 days, the female lays about 20 eggs which hatch after about 60 days the boys. In captivity Desert Horn vipers are up to 14 years old. The distribution area includes the entire Sahara. From November to early March, the Desert horned viper pulls in abandoned burrows and shelters of mice ( gerbils ) or reptiles back ( spine -tailed Agama ).

Snake venom

The poison of the Desert horned viper is strong hemotoxic, treatment with an adequate antivenin may be necessary, for example if a relevant bleeding disorder occurs.