Bothrops bilineatus
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''Bothrops bilineatus'', also known as the two-striped forest-pitviper,Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. 2 volumes. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. . parrotsnake,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. . Amazonian palm viper,Mehrtens JM. 1987. ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. . or green jararaca,''Bothrops bilineata'' (Wied-neuwied, 1821)
Catalogue of Life The Catalogue of Life is an online database that provides an index of known species of animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms. It was created in 2001 as a partnership between the global Species 2000 and the American Integrated Taxonomic I ...
is a highly
venomous Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
pit viper species found in the
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
region of South America. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. A pale green arboreal species that may reach in length, it is an important cause of snakebite throughout the entire Amazon region.


Description

Adults usually do not grow to more than in length, although some may reach . The maximum reported size is . The body is relatively slender, with a prehensile tail. The scalation includes 23–35
dorsal scales In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales In snakes, the ventral scales or gastrosteges are the enlarged and transversely elongated scales that extend down t ...
at midbody, 190–218/192–220
ventral scales In snakes, the ventral scales or gastrosteges are the enlarged and transversely elongated scales that extend down the underside of the body from the neck to the anal scale. When counting them, the first is the anteriormost ventral scale that cont ...
in males/females and 65–76/55–73 mostly divided subcaudal scales in males/females. On the head are 5–9 keeled intersupraoculars, 8–12 sublabial scales and 7–9 supralabial scales. Of the latter, the second is usually fused with the
prelacunal Lacunal scales are those scales Scale or scales may refer to: Mathematics * Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points * Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the or ...
to form a
lacunolabial The lacunolabial scale is a large scale that forms in some crotaline snakes (pitvipers) when the prelacunal scale fuses with the second (rarely the third) supralabial scale. In such cases, it is often said that "the second labial enters the pi ...
, although partial or complete sutures may exist to separate these scales. The colour pattern consists of a pale green ground colour overlaid dorsally with either a peppering of black spots, or a series of tan or reddish brown spots that are usually paired. The ventrals are bordered by a creamy yellow line running down the length of the body, while the belly itself is yellow and bordered with a tinge of green. The latter part of the tail is pink and bordered with yellow. The head is either green with a scattering of small black spots, or green with isolated tan or reddish brown spots that are bordered in black. The iris is pale green, while the labials are yellow green, often with black spots. The nominate subspecies, ''B. b. bilineata'', has vertical dark stripes on the supralabial scales and a dorsal pattern of reddish brown spots with black flecks.


Geographic range

This species is found in the
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
region of South America: Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname,
French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic coast of South America in the Guianas. ...
, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. An isolated population is known from the Atlantic versant of southeastern Brazil. The type locality given is "Brasilien".


Habitat

It is found in lowland rain forest, in shrubbery, palms and trees, and anywhere in the vicinity of water. It is almost always found in bushes and trees along streams or along the edges for forest clearings, mostly associated with
primary forest An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological feature ...
, although has also been found in older secondary forest near primary forest.


Behaviour

Nocturnal, this species spends the day hidden in thick foliage, tree hollows, or at the base of palm fronds, always remaining in places where it can anchor itself with its prehensile tail. It tends to rely on ambush instead of actively hunting for prey. Some species of viper are only active during the day as they bask in the sunlight and strike at prey that draw too close. Others tend to be nocturnal choosing to hunt at night and rest in the day.


Feeding

The diet consists of small mammals, such as mouse opossums (''
Marmosa The 27 species in the genus ''Marmosa'' are relatively small Neotropical members of the family Didelphidae. This genus is one of three that are known as mouse opossums. The others are '' Thylamys'' (the "fat-tailed mouse opossums") and '' Tlacua ...
''), mice, birds, lizards, and frogs. Juveniles tend to remain closer to the ground to feed on small frogs and lizards.


Reproduction

It is
ovoviviparous Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous and live-bearing viviparous reproduction. Ovoviviparous animals possess embryos that develop insi ...
, with females giving birth to live young.


Venom

This species is an important cause of snakebite throughout the entire Amazon region. Due to its arboreal nature, most bites are to the upper body, including hands, arms, and faces. Clinical features of bite wounds include bruising, profound coagulopathy, and spontaneous bleeding. Symptoms reported from various case histories include local pain, swelling, bruising, bleeding of the gums, loss of consciousness,
hematemesis Hematemesis is the vomiting of blood. It is always an important sign. It can be confused with hemoptysis (coughing up blood) or epistaxis (nosebleed), which are more common. The source is generally the upper gastrointestinal tract, typically abo ...
,
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 ...
, fever,
erythema Erythema (from the Greek , meaning red) is redness of the skin or mucous membranes, caused by hyperemia (increased blood flow) in superficial capillaries. It occurs with any skin injury, infection, or inflammation. Examples of erythema not asso ...
, bleeding from the fang punctures, shock, bleeding from the mouth, nose and eyes, nausea, and incoagulable blood. At least one death has been reported. The DL50 is 6.28 mg/kg.


Subspecies

If these subspecies are eventually proved to be monophyletic, then this will suggest that the Amazon Rainforest split into eastern and western parts before the eastern part split from the more southern Atlantic Forest.


References


External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2712670 bilineatus Reptiles of Bolivia Snakes of Brazil Reptiles of Colombia Reptiles of Ecuador Reptiles of French Guiana Reptiles of Guyana Reptiles of Peru Reptiles of Suriname Reptiles of Venezuela Reptiles described in 1821 Taxa named by Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied