Terciopelo (''Bothrops asper'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of pit vipers occurring at low to moderate elevations in northeast

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

and

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

, and into

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

where it is known from elevations up to 2600 meters in the Colombian and

Ecuadorian Ecuadorians ( es, ecuatorianos) are people identified with the South American country of Ecuador. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Ecuadorians, several (or all) of these connections exist and are colle ...

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

, as well as

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

and

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...

on the Caribbean coast. With a mass of up to and a maximal length of , the terciopelo is among the largest pit vipers. It is light to dark brown in color, often with yellow zig-zag-shaped lines on each side of the body. Dubbed "the ultimate pit-viper" for its large size, fangs and venom yield, it has a fearsome reputation, responsible for the most

snakebites A snakebite is an injury caused by the bite of a snake, especially a venomous snake. A common sign of a bite from a venomous snake is the presence of two puncture wounds from the animal's fangs. Sometimes venom injection from the bite may oc ...

within its range because of its defensive temperament and proximity to human residence. However, like other

venomous snakes Venomous snakes are species of the suborder Serpentes that are capable of producing venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The venom is typically delivered by injection using hollow or gr ...

, it avoids confrontation with humans whenever possible. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Etymology

The

generic Generic or generics may refer to: In business * Generic term, a common name used for a range or class of similar things not protected by trademark * Generic brand, a brand for a product that does not have an associated brand or trademark, other ...

name, ''Bothrops'', comes from the Greek words and , which mean 'pit' and 'face' (or 'eye'), respectively. This is a reference to these snakes' highly sensitive heat-detecting pit organs. The specific epithet, , which is a Latin word meaning 'rough' or 'harsh', may allude to the species' keeled dorsal scales.

Common names

Some of the common names applied to this snake are ''terciopelo'' ("velvet" in Spanish), ''fer-de-lance'', ''mapepire balsain'' (Trinidad), ''carpet labaria'' (Guyana), ''barba amarilla'' (Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua; "yellow beard"), ''equis'' (Ecuador and Panama; "x"), ''talla equis'' , ''mapaná'' (Colombia), ''cuaima'' (Venezuela), ''nauyaca'' (México; from Nahuatl ''nahui'', four, and ''yacatl'', nose; "four noses"), and ''yellow-jaw tommygoff'' (Belize)." The name fer-de-lance is French (or possibly Créole), translating to "iron of the lance", "iron spear point" or simply "spearhead" or "lancehead".Lillywhite, Harvey B. (2008). Dictionary of Herpetology. Krieger Publishing Co. Malabar, Florida. viii, 376 pp. Greene, Harry W. (1997). Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature. University of California Press, Berkeley, California. xiii, 351 pp. In English the name lancehead is applied to the genus ''

Bothrops ''Bothrops'' is a genus of highly venomous pit vipers endemic to Central and South America.McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. ''Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1''. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp ...

'' as a whole, Tipton, Bob L. (2005). Snakes of the Americas, Checklist and Lexicon. Krieger Publishing Co. Malabar, Florida. xiv, 477 pp. (With CD) and in combination with the majority of the species within the genus (e.g.: Alcatrazes lancehead (''

Bothrops alcatraz ''Bothrops alcatraz'', also known as the Alcatrazes lancehead, is a pitviper species found only on the Alcatrazes Islands off the coast of southeastern Brazil. No subspecies are currently recognized. Like all pit vipers, it is venomous. Descrip ...

''), Patagonian lancehead, (''

Bothrops ammodytoides :''Common names: Patagonian lancehead,Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. . yarará ñata,Bothrops andianus'') etc.). The name fer-de-lance has been used inconsistently and very informally with several species in the genus ''Bothrops'' having been called fer-de-lance at one time or another, most commonly ''Bothrops asper'', ''

Bothrops atrox ''Bothrops atrox'' — also known as the common lancehead, ''fer-de-lance'', ''barba amarilla''Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plate ...

'', '' Bothrops caribbaeus'', and '' Bothrops lanceolatus''.Schwartz, Albert and Robert W. Henderson. (1991). ''Amphibians and Reptile of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History''. University of Florida Press. Gainesville, Florida. xvi, 720 pp. Henderson, Robert W. and Robert Powell. (2009). ''Natural History of West Indian Reptiles and Amphibians''. University Press of Florida. Gainesville, Florida. xxiv, 495 pp. Several herpetologists have preferred and argued to restrict the name fer-de-lance to the Martinique lancehead ('' Bothrops lanceolatus'') from the Caribbean Island of

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...

, but popular usage has rarely recognized any distinction. In their seminal opus on the venomous reptiles of the Western hemisphere, Campbell & Lamar stated: "The name fer-de lance, widely used in North America with reference to ''B. asper'' and ''B. atrox'', has no legitimate origin of use in regions inhabited by this snake." In an effort to establish standardized names for the amphibians and reptiles of North America, the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR), a not-for-profit organization and one of the largest international herpetological societies, applied the following nomenclature: * ''Bothrops'' Wagler, 1824: Lanceheads (English) * ''Bothrops asper'' (Garman, 1884

883 __NOTOC__ Year 883 ( DCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Viking raiders ravage Flanders, and sack the abbey at Saint- ...

: Terciopelo (English) In recent decades, herpetologists have preferred the name 'terciopelo' for ''Bothrops asper'',Lee, Julian C. (2000). A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Maya World. Comstock Publishing Associates, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York. xi + 402 pp. Savage, Jay M. (2002). The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica, A Herpetofauna between Two Continents, between Two Seas. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. xx, 934 pp. Köhler, Gunther (2008). Reptiles of Central America, 2nd Edition. Herpeton, Verlag Elke Köhler, Offenbach, Germany. 400 pp. Lemos Espinal, Julio A. and James R. Dixon. (2013). Amphibians and Reptiles of San Luis Potosí. Eagle Mountain Publishing, LC. Eagle Mountain, Utah. i-xii, 1-300 pp. although the term fer-de-lance is still common in popular usage.

Description

''Bothrops'' species can be distinguished by their broad, flattened heads which are set apart from the rest of their bodies. The head of this snake is light to dark brown or even black. Although usually absent, it may have occipital blotches or streaks that range from indistinct to distinct. The underside is most often pale yellow. This species has different patterns and colors on its dorsal and ventral sides and it exhibits a postorbital stripe. The ventral side is yellow, cream, or a whitish gray, with dark blotches that are more frequent closer to the posterior end. Ventrolaterally, ''B. asper'' has interchanging gray scales which are more pale towards the medial line. Dark triangles with pale edges can be seen laterally, which range in number from 18 to 25. Apices either alternate or are reflective of each other over the middorsal line. In the interspaces, there are dark, paravertebral blotches. Specimens may have a yellow zig-zag-shaped line on each side of the body. There is a great variety of colours on its dorsal side: olive, gray, light brown to dark brown, tan or sometimes nearly black. To prevent water loss where they occur in drier regions, this species has more scales. Bothrops asper (Panama) coiled

Specimens of this species may weigh up to and are often in length. Very big females can reach lengths up to , although this is uncommon. These are among the most

sexually dimorphic Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most ani ...

of all snakes. The two sexes are born the same size, but by age 7 to 12 months, females begin to grow at a much faster rate than males. Females have thick, heavy bodies and grow significantly larger than males. They also have heads two or three times the size of males relative to their size and proportionally bigger fangs (typically 2.5 cm), as well. Across its geographic range, this species varies greatly phenotypically. As a result, great confusion between it and other related species, most notably ''Bothrops atrox'', which is similar in color but usually has yellow or rust-like tones and rectangular or trapezoidal blotches.

Distribution

It is found on the Gulf - Atlantic versant of eastern Mexico as far north as the state of Tamaulipas, southward through the entire Yucatan Peninsula extending into Central America, including Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. An isolated population occurs in southeastern Chiapas (Mexico) and southwestern Guatemala. In northern South America, it is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Venezuela. The type locality given is "Obispo, on the

Isthmus of Darien An isthmus (; ; ) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea counterpart of an isthmus ...

" (Panama). Farr, William L. and David Lazcano. 2017. Distribution of Bothrops asper in Tamaulipas, Mexico and a review or prey items. Southwestern Naturalist 62(1): 77-84. This is mostly a lowland species that, in Mexico and Central America, occurs from about sea level to altitude. In South America, it apparently ranges to considerably higher elevations: up to in Venezuela and at least in Colombia according to herpetologist Lancini. According to Campbell and Lamar (2004), its range in Ecuador extends as far south along the Pacific coast as

El Oro Province El Oro (; ''oro'' = gold) is the southernmost of Ecuador's coastal provinces. It was named for its historically important gold production. Today it is one of the world's major exporters of bananas. The capital is Machala. History The area was s ...

and the Vilcabamba area of the Río Catamayo Valley. This species is reported to occur from seven (Bolívar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos and Pichincha) of the fourteen provinces along the Pacific slope of Ecuador. There are even a few records from northern coastal

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

, with these snakes being reported in the

Tumbes Region Tumbes () is a coastal department and region in northwestern Peru bordering Ecuador. Due to the region's location near the Equator it has a warm climate, with beaches that are considered among the finest in Peru. Despite its small area, the re ...

. It is also known from the island of Gorgona off the Pacific coast of Colombia. ''B. asper'' occurs throughout the inter-

valleys of Colombia across the Caribbean coastal plain through central Venezuela north of the Orinoco as far east as the

Delta Amacuro Delta Amacuro State ( es, Estado Delta Amacuro, ) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela, and is the location of the Orinoco Delta. The Paria Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean are found to the north, Bolívar State is found to the south, the Atlantic ...

region. This is the only ''

'' species that occurs on the island of

, although the situation there is complicated due to proximity of Trinidad to the

Orinoco Delta The Orinoco Delta is a vast river delta of the Orinoco River, located in eastern Venezuela. Location The Orinoco Delta is one of the eight natural regions of Venezuela. It covers the whole of Delta Amacuro State and a few square kilometers of ...

where it may be sympatric with ''B. atrox''. Due to the casual and informal application of the name "Fer-de-lance" being applied to any number of species of Latin America pit vipers in the genus ''

'', there is much confusion and misunderstanding, particularly in popular literature, as to proper nomenclature. Populations of ''Bothrops'' often referred to as Fer-de-lance on the island of Saint Lucia are '' Bothrops caribbaeus''. Populations of ''Bothrops'' referred to as Fer-de-lance on the island of

are regard as '' Bothrops lanceolatus''.

Habitat

This species likes moist environments, and occurs in most life zones located at low or middle elevations (up to ), excluding those with strong seasonal dry periods. They are, however, sometimes found at much higher elevations. This is true in the premontane forest in Costa Rica, the cloud forest of Guatemala and Mexico, or the lower montane wet forest in the

Caribbean Region of Colombia The Caribbean region of Colombia or Caribbean coast region is in the north of Colombia and is mainly composed of 8 departments located contiguous to the Caribbean.tropical rainforest Tropical rainforests are rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season – all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm – and may also be referred to as ''lowland equa ...

and

evergreen forest An evergreen forest is a forest made up of evergreen trees. They occur across a wide range of climatic zones, and include trees such as conifers and holly in cold climates, eucalyptus, Live oak, acacias, magnolia, and banksia in more temperate zo ...

, but it also occurs in drier areas of tropical deciduous forest, thorn forest and pine savannah near lakes, rivers and streams. The home range of ''B. asper'' averages between 3.71 ha and 5.95 ha, which is comparatively small in relation to other pitvipers.

Behavior

''B. asper'' is nocturnal and solitary. It is less active in colder and drier periods. This species is often found near rivers and streams, basking in the sun during the day and lying still while well camouflaged in leaf litter or under forest cover waiting to ambush prey such as rats and mice that come within range during the night. When cornered or threatened, this species can be very defensive and may exhibit an S-coiled defense display. Juveniles are often semiarboreal, and even adults are sometimes encountered in bushes and low trees. Juveniles are also known to exhibit caudal luring, a use of their differently colored tail tips to lure prey. Although both males and females display this behavior, only males have bright coloured tail tips. Compared to the common lancehead, ''B. atrox'', these snakes have been described as excitable and unpredictable when disturbed. They can, and often will, move very quickly, usually opting to flee from danger, but are capable of suddenly reversing direction to vigorously defend themselves. Adult specimens, when cornered and fully alert, are dangerous. In a review of bites from this species suffered by field biologists, Hardy (1994) referred to it as the "ultimate pit viper".

Diet

''Bothrops asper'' is a diet generalist and is known to prey on a remarkably wide range of animals. A generalized

ontogenetic Ontogeny (also ontogenesis) is the origination and development of an organism (both physical and psychological, e.g., moral development), usually from the time of fertilization of the egg to adult. The term can also be used to refer to the st ...

diet shift occurs, with a higher percentage of

ectothermic An ectotherm (from the Greek () "outside" and () "heat") is an organism in which internal physiological sources of heat are of relatively small or of quite negligible importance in controlling body temperature.Davenport, John. Animal Life ...

prey in juveniles, changing to a greater percentage of

endothermic In thermochemistry, an endothermic process () is any thermodynamic process with an increase in the enthalpy (or internal energy ) of the system.Oxtoby, D. W; Gillis, H.P., Butler, L. J. (2015).''Principle of Modern Chemistry'', Brooks Cole. ...

prey in adults, particularly small mammals. However both juveniles and adults, regardless of size or age, are known to opportunistically prey on ectothermic and endothermic species. Reports of invertebrate and insect remains in the digestive tracts along with frog and lizard remains are believed to represent secondary ingestion, however the dissection of several specimens containing only insect remains such as beetles ( Coleoptera), and bugs ( Hemiptera) are believed to reflect insects as primary prey too. Cannibalism has been reported in both captive and wild juveniles and the species is known to scavenge on dead frogs and rodents. Just a few of the documented ectothermic prey items include: centipedes (''

Scolopendra ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the worl ...

''), beetles ('' Coleoptera''), grasshoppers ('' Orthoptera''), crayfish, eels ('' Synbranchus''); caecilians (''

Dermophis ''Dermophis'' is a genus of worm-like amphibians in the family Dermophiidae, the Neotropical and Tropical African caecilians. They are found in the Middle America between southern Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United M ...

''), frogs (''

Eleutherodactylus ''Eleutherodactylus'' is a genus of frogs in the family Eleutherodactylidae.Hedges, S. B., W. E. Duellman, and M. P. Heinicke . 2008. New World direct-developing frogs (Anura: Terrarana): molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeography, and c ...

'', ''

Leptodactylus ''Leptodactylus'' is a genus of leptodactylid frogs. It includes the species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as ...

'', ''

Lithobates ''Lithobates'' is a genus of true frogs, of the family Ranidae. The name is derived from '' litho-'' (stone) and the Greek ' (, one that treads), meaning one that treads on rock, or rock climber. The name was defined by Hillis and Wilcox (2005) ...

'', '' Smilisca''), toads (''

Rhinella ''Rhinella'', commonly known as South American toads, beaked toads or Rio Viejo toads, is a genus of true toads native to Neotropical parts of Mexico, Central and South America. Additionally, the cane toad has been introduced to Australia, the Ca ...

''), amphisbaenians ('' Amphisbaena''), lizards (''

Ameiva ''Ameiva'', commonly called jungle-runners, is a genus of whiptail lizards that belongs to the family Teiidae. Geographic range Member species of the genus ''Ameiva'' are found in South America, Central America and the Caribbean (West Indie ...

'', '' Anolis'', ''

Ctenosaura ''Ctenosaura'' is a lizard genus commonly known as spinytail iguanas or ctenosaurs. The genus is part of the large lizard family, Iguanidae and is native to Mexico and Central America. The name is derived from two Greek words: ctenos (κτεν ...

'', ''

Gonatodes ''Gonatodes'' is a genus of New World dwarf geckos of the family Sphaerodactylidae. Description The majority of the species in the genus ''Gonatodes'' are diurnally active, scansorial, and sexually dichromatic, with adult body size ( snout–v ...

''), and snakes (''

'', ''

Erythrolamprus ''Erythrolamprus'' is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly known as false coral snakes, native to Central America, the Caribbean, and the northern part of South America. They appear to be coral snake mimics. Species These species are currently ...

'', ''

Ninia ''Ninia'' is a genus of snakes, commonly referred to as coffee snakes, in the family Colubridae of the superfamily Colubroidea. The genus consists of 10 species that are native to Mexico, Central America, and the northern part of South America ...

''). Endothermic prey species include: bay wren ('' Cantorchilus nigricapillus''), grey-headed tanager (''

Eucometis penicillata The grey-headed tanager (''Eucometis penicillata'') is a widely distributed species of small Neotropical bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of the genus ''Eucometis''. It is found in Central America and northern South A ...

''), wren ('' Troglodytes''), blue-black grassquit ('' Volatinia jacarina''), Central American woolly opossum ('' Caluromys derbianus''), common opossum (''

Didelphis marsupialis The common opossum (''Didelphis marsupialis''), also called the southern or black-eared opossum or gambá, and sometimes called a possum, is a marsupial species living from the northeast of Mexico to Bolivia (reaching the coast of the South Pac ...

''), Desmarest's spiny pocket mouse (''

Heteromys desmarestianus Desmarest's spiny pocket mouse (''Heteromys desmarestianus'') is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama Panama ( , ; es, ...

''), dusky rice rat ('' Melanomys caliginosus''), black rat (''

Rattus rattus The black rat (''Rattus rattus''), also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus ''Rattus'', in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is ...

''), Rothschild's porcupine ('' Coendou rothschildi''), Brazilian cottontail (''

Sylvilagus brasiliensis The common tapeti (''Sylvilagus brasiliensis''), also known as the Brazilian cottontail, forest cottontail, or (formerly) simply tapeti is a species of cottontail rabbit. It is small to medium-sized with a small, dark tail, short hind feet, and s ...

''), and least shrew ('' Cryptotis parva'').

Reproduction

The timing of the reproductive cycle and the litter size of this species vary according to location: in some parts of Costa Rica, for example, it is more prolific than in others. Reproduction is highly seasonal and in Costa Rica, reproductive cycles are tightly related to rainfall patterns. The timing of breeding differs between populations in the Caribbean and Pacific lowlands. On the Pacific side, mating took place between September and November, with females giving birth between April and June. The average number of offspring was 18.6 (five to 40) in this population. Neonates ranged in total length from and in weight from . On the Atlantic side, mating was observed in March, and births occurred between September and November. The average number of offspring was 41.1 (14–86), whereas the total length of neonates ranged from , and weighed from . In both populations, gestation time ranged from six to eight months, and the size of a litter correlated significantly with the size of the female. This species is considered to be the most prolific of all snakes in the Americas. Male-male combat in this species has not been observed. Females will mate with more than one male during mating season. Mating includes a series of movements of the male, which then slowly chases an accepting female. The female then stops movement and extends her posture to mate. It is not known whether this species exhibits annual or biannual reproduction.

Venom

Tissue necrosis following bite from Bothrops asper PLoS Medicine

''B. asper'', together with ''

Crotalus durissus ''Crotalus durissus'', known as the South American rattlesnake, tropical rattlesnake,Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. and by other names, is a highly venomous pit viper species found ...

'', is the leading cause of snakebite in

Yucatán Yucatán (, also , , ; yua, Yúukatan ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán,; yua, link=no, Xóot' Noj Lu'umil Yúukatan. is one of the 31 states which comprise the federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate mun ...

, Mexico. It is considered the most dangerous snake in Costa Rica, responsible for 46% of all bites and 30% of all hospitalized cases; before 1947, the fatality rate was 9%, but this has since declined to almost 0% (Bolaños, 1984), mostly due to the Clodomiro Picado Research Institute, responsible for the production of snake antiophidic sera (which are also exported to other countries in Latin America and Africa) and scientific research on serpents and their venoms, as well as educational and extension programs in rural areas and hospitals. In the Colombian states of Antioquia and Chocó, it causes 50–70% of all snakebites, with a

sequelae A sequela (, ; usually used in the plural, sequelae ) is a pathological condition resulting from a disease, injury, therapy, or other trauma. Derived from the Latin word, meaning “sequel”, it is used in the medical field to mean a complication ...

rate of 9% and a fatality rate of 6% (Otero et al., 1992). In the state of

Lara Lara may refer to: Places * Lara (state), a state in Venezuela *Electoral district of Lara, an electoral district in Victoria, Australia * Lara, Antalya, an urban district in Turkey * Lara, Victoria, a township in Australia * Lara de los In ...

, Venezuela, it is responsible for 78% of all envenomations and all snakebite fatalities (Dao-L., 1971). One of the reasons so many people are bitten is because of its association with human habitation; many bites occur indoors (Sasa & Vázquez, 2003).

Herpetologist Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians ( gymnophiona)) and rep ...

Douglas March died after being bitten by this species.Warrell DA. 2004. Snakebites in Central and South America: Epidemiology, Clinical Features, and Clinical Management. ''In'' Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. . This species is irritable and fast-moving. It is also regarded as being more excitable and unpredictable than ''B. atrox''. Its large size and habit of raising its head high off the ground can result in bites above the knee. It has also been observed to eject venom over a distance of at least 6 ft (1.8 m) in fine jets from the tips of its fangs (Mole, 1924). Bite symptoms include pain, oozing from the puncture wounds, local swelling that may increase for up to 36 hours, bruising that spreads from the bite site, blisters, numbness, mild fever, headache, bleeding from the nose and gums,

hemoptysis Hemoptysis is the coughing up of blood or blood-stained mucus from the bronchi, larynx, trachea, or lungs. In other words, it is the airway bleeding. This can occur with lung cancer, infections such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, or pneumonia, a ...

, gastrointestinal bleeding,

hematuria Hematuria or haematuria is defined as the presence of blood or red blood cells in the urine. “Gross hematuria” occurs when urine appears red, brown, or tea-colored due to the presence of blood. Hematuria may also be subtle and only detectable w ...

hypotension Hypotension is low blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps out blood. Blood pressure is indicated by two numbers, the systolic blood pressure (the top number) and the dia ...

, nausea, vomiting, impaired consciousness and tenderness of the

spleen The spleen is an organ found in almost all vertebrates. Similar in structure to a large lymph node, it acts primarily as a blood filter. The word spleen comes .

. In untreated cases, local necrosis frequently occurs and may cause gangrene which often requires amputation. In 12 fatal cases, the cause of death was

sepsis Sepsis, formerly known as septicemia (septicaemia in British English) or blood poisoning, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage is follo ...

(5),

intracranial hemorrhage Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), also known as intracranial bleed, is hemorrhage, bleeding internal bleeding, within the Human skull, skull. Subtypes are intracerebral bleeds (intraventricular bleeds and intraparenchymal bleeds), subarachnoid bleed ...

(3),

acute kidney injury Acute kidney injury (AKI), previously called acute renal failure (ARF), is a sudden decrease in kidney function that develops within 7 days, as shown by an increase in serum creatinine or a decrease in urine output, or both. Causes of AKI are c ...

with

hyperkalemia Hyperkalemia is an elevated level of potassium (K+) in the blood. Normal potassium levels are between 3.5 and 5.0mmol/L (3.5 and 5.0mEq/L) with levels above 5.5mmol/L defined as hyperkalemia. Typically hyperkalemia does not cause symptoms. Occasi ...

and

metabolic acidosis Metabolic acidosis is a serious electrolyte disorder characterized by an imbalance in the body's acid-base balance. Metabolic acidosis has three main root causes: increased acid production, loss of bicarbonate, and a reduced ability of the kidneys ...

(2) and

hemorrhagic shock Hypovolemic shock is a form of shock caused by severe hypovolemia (insufficient blood volume or extracellular fluid in the body). It could be the result of severe dehydration through a variety of mechanisms or blood loss. Hypovolemic shock is a m ...

(1). Venom yield (dry weight) averages 458 mg, with a maximum of 1530 mg (Bolaños, 1984) and an in mice of 2.844 mg/kg IP. The venomous bite of ''B. asper'' has been suggested to have been a factor in the choice of certain

Mayan Mayan most commonly refers to: * Maya peoples, various indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica and northern Central America * Maya civilization, pre-Columbian culture of Mesoamerica and northern Central America * Mayan languages, language family spoken ...

settlements, such as

Nim Li Punit Nim Li Punit () is a Maya Classic Period site in the Toledo District of the nation of Belize, located 50 kilometres north of the town of Punta Gorda, and directly adjacent to the village of Indian Creek. Nim Li Punit is sometimes known as Big Hat ...

, Belize Central America, where the thick jungle inhabited by these snakes was used as a defensive boundary.Nim Li Punit
by C. Michael Hogan, a
Megalithic Portal
Accessed 15 March 2008. The venom of the fer-de-lance is so potent that didelphine opossums (i.e., opossums like the

Virginia opossum The Virginia opossum (''Didelphis virginiana''), also known as the North American opossum, is the only opossum living north of Mexico, its range extending south into Central America. It is the northernmost marsupial in the world. In the United S ...

), which are normally immune to the venom of pit vipers and rattlesnakes, are still capable of succumbing to the venom of this snake. This is especially the case if the opossum is not fully grown (and thus the venom is more concentrated per gram). Indeed, the extremely potent venom of ''B. asper'' has been suggested to have evolved as part of an

evolutionary arms race In evolutionary biology, an evolutionary arms race is an ongoing struggle between competing sets of co-evolving genes, phenotypic and behavioral traits that develop escalating adaptations and counter-adaptations against each other, resembling an ...

between these snakes and didelphine opossums, as a defensive adaptation to prevent predation by opossums, an adaptation that allowed fer-de-lances to prey on large opossums, or both.

Taxonomy

This species was once regarded as a subspecies of ''B. atrox'' and can still often be confused with it.

Predators

Goliath birdeater The Goliath birdeater (''Theraphosa blondi'') belongs to the tarantula family Theraphosidae. Found in northern South America, it is the largest spider in the world by mass () and body length (up to ), and second to the giant huntsman spider by ...

spiders sometimes prey on the snake, despite it being one of the most venomous snakes in Central and South America.Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine

Notes

References

External links

* * https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/197464/2486766 {{Taxonbar, from=Q384987 asper Snakes of Central America Reptiles of Mexico Reptiles of Ecuador Reptiles of Guatemala Reptiles of Honduras Reptiles of Panama Reptiles of Colombia Reptiles of Costa Rica Reptiles described in 1884

Etymology

Common names

Description

Distribution

Habitat

Behavior

Diet

Reproduction

Venom

Taxonomy

Predators

Notes

References

Further reading

External links