''Bothrops erythromelas'', commonly known as the Caatinga lancehead or the ''jararaca-da-seca'', is a
species of
venomous snake in the family
Viperidae.
[McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. ''Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1''. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. (series). (volume).] It is
endemic to
Brazil.
Etymology
The
specific name Specific name may refer to:
* in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database
In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules:
* Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...
, ''erythromelas'', is from the
Ancient Greek words έρυθρός ''(érythrós)'', meaning "red", and μέλας ''(mélas)'', meaning "black", referring to this snakes coloration.
Geographic range
It is found in the Brazilian states of
Alagoas,
Bahia,
Ceará
Ceará (, pronounced locally as or ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is the eighth-largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the ...
,
Maranhão,
Minas Gerais,
Paraíba
Paraíba ( Tupi: ''pa'ra a'íba''; ) is a state of Brazil. It is located in the Brazilian Northeast, and it is bordered by Rio Grande do Norte to the north, Ceará to the west, Pernambuco to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Paraíba ...
,
Pernambuco,
Piauí
Piaui (, ) is one of the states of Brazil, located in the country's Northeast Region. The state has 1.6% of the Brazilian population and produces 0.7% of the Brazilian GDP.
Piaui has the shortest coastline of any coastal Brazilian state at 66&n ...
,
Rio Grande do Norte, and
Sergipe.
The
type locality
Type locality may refer to:
* Type locality (biology)
* Type locality (geology)
See also
* Local (disambiguation)
* Locality (disambiguation)
{{disambiguation ...
is "near Joazeiro, State of Bahia, Brazil".
Description
Adults may attain a total length of , which includes a tail long. Can grow to a maximum of about 0.85 cm.
Dorsally, ''B. erythromelas'' is reddish brown, with a double series of black or dark brown triangular markings, which may be alternating or opposite. The head is dark brown on the top and sides, with some darker markings. Ventrally, it is yellowish, speckled with brown, and with dark spots extending from the sides of the ventrals onto the first two dorsal rows. Eyes are moderately large in size, with vertically elliptical pupils.
The strongly keeled dorsal scales are arranged in 21 rows at midbody. Ventrals 144–155; anal plate entire; subcaudals divided 33–35. It's mainly a terrestrial and nocturnal snake, but climb into low vegetation. Tend to hide its head when approached. Highly irascible, can strike violently with minimal provocation. Feeds mainly on rodents and lizards.
Habitat
This species'
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
refers to its
habitat, the
Caatinga, a large
ecoregion in northeastern Brazil, which consists of
xeric shrubland and
thorn forest.
References
Further reading
*
Amaral, A. 1923. New Genera and Species of Snakes. Proceedings of the New England Zoölogical Club 8: 85–105. (''"Bothrops erythromelas sp. nov."'',
pp. 96–97.)
erythromelas
Endemic fauna of Brazil
Reptiles described in 1923
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