Post by Ceratodromeus on Jan 5, 2016 8:55:56 GMT 5
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Crotalinae
Genus: Bothrops
Species: B.moojeni
Description
These snakes are relatively heavy bodied pit vipers like various other members of the Bothrops genus. Animals typically have a dusky brown coloration, intermittently broken up by grey triangular markings surrounded by a creamy white color. However, coloration and pattern density seems to differ from individual to individual. The head is large and triangular, a trademark of pitvipers. Dorsal coloration of the head is similar to that of the species' trunk, and the central coloration is white. A dark stripe can be found behind each eye. Sexual dimorphism is present, with mature females typically reaching longer lengths, having longer heads, and weigh more then mature males{1}; females measure 0.7-1.3m(with most measuring around 1m) in snout-ventral ventral length, while males measure 0.5-1m(with most measuring around 0.8m).
Geographic range
The species is native to central Southern America, in localities like southeastern Brazil. They are often found in riparian areas, within gallery forests, occasionally be found in dry interfluvial savannas. They are often observed moving through vegitation at air temperatures of 20-25°C( 68-77°F){1}.
Dietary habits
The diet of these snakes is fairly consistent with what we see in other pit viper species; Juvenile animals take primarily lizards and frogs, while adults have a more bird and mammal oriented diet; this is called an ontogenic shift. However, adult animals have been documented eating lizards(juvenile Tropidurus sp.; adult Ophiodes striatus) and even centipedes{1} . They are active foragers, and will move from frequently in search of prey, often staying in one locale for extended amounts of time. They also utilize caudal luring{2}, in which the tail tip is lightly colored(typically in juvenile animals, but also found in adults), and the tail is swayed around once a potential prey animal comes into the snakes' line of vision. The prey animal(eg lizard or frog) is tricked into thinking the tail tip is a worm or small insect, and will try to go after it. This lures the animal into the pit vipers' striking range, where it is usually nailed and held until it succumbs to the venom. In the case of rodents, the prey animal is usually released to avoid injury.
Reproduction
The mating season is rather long for the Brazilian lancehead, with females beginning ovulation during or around July. Mating occurs in the ensuing months, and the young are born(as these are viviparous animals)in December or January. A gestation period of approximately 200 days has been suggested by researchers{1}.
References
{1} Nogueira, Cristiano, Ricardo J. Sawaya, and Marcio Martins. "Ecology of the pitviper, Bothrops moojeni, in the Brazilian Cerrado." Journal of Herpetology 37.4 (2003)
{2} Martins, M. A. R. C. I. O., OTÁVIO AV Marques, and I. V. A. N. Sazima. "Ecological and phylogenetic correlates of feeding habits in Neotropical pitvipers of the genus Bothrops." Biology of the Vipers (2002): 307-328.
