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The terciopelo ( Bothrops asper) is a species of , found from north-east Mexico to northern South America. At low to moderate elevations, its habitat ranges from northeastern Mexico to and Andes, as well as Venezuela. With a mass of up to , and a maximal length of , the terciopelo is among the largest vipers. It is light to dark brown in color, often with yellowish, zig-zag patterning on either side of its body. Dubbed "the ultimate pit-viper" for its defensiveness, large size, fangs and potent venom yield, it has a fearsome reputation, responsible for the most Envenomation snakebites within its range, largely due to its proximity to humans, livestock and pets. Nonetheless, like all venomous snakes, the terciopelo actively avoids contact with humans and larger animals, with bites generally only occurring when the snake is cornered, pursued, or threatened. No subspecies are currently recognized.
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 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), Patagonian lancehead, ( Bothrops ammodytoides), Andean lancehead ( 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 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 French speaking Caribbean Sea Island of Martinique, 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" e.g.. 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:
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 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.
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 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, with these snakes being reported in the Tumbes Region. It is also known from the island of Gorgona off the Pacific coast of Colombia.
B. asper occurs throughout the inter-Andean valleys of Colombia across the Caribbean coastal plain through central Venezuela north of the Orinoco as far east as the Delta Amacuro region. This is the only Bothrops species that occurs on the island of Trinidad, although the situation there is complicated due to proximity of Trinidad to the Orinoco Delta 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 Bothrops, 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 Martinique are regarded as Bothrops lanceolatus.
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".
Just a few of the documented ectothermic prey items include: small to moderately-sized centipedes (specifically Scolopendra angulata), beetles (Coleoptera), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), flies (Diptera), hemipterans (Hemiptera), ants (Ant), crayfish (Crayfish), eels ( Synbranchus); caecilians ( Dermophis), frogs ( Eleutherodactylus, Leptodactylus, Lithobates, Pristimantis, Rhinella, Smilisca), toads ( Rhinella), amphisbaenians ( Amphisbaena), lizards ( Alopoglossus, Ameiva, Anolis, Ctenosaura, Gonatodes), and snakes ( Bothrops, Dipsas, Erythrolamprus, Ninia). Endothermic prey species include: bay wren ( Cantorchilus nigricapillus), grey-headed tanager ( Eucometis penicillata), wren ( Troglodytes), blue-black grassquit ( Volatinia jacarina), Central American woolly opossum ( Caluromys derbianus), common opossum ( Didelphis marsupialis), Desmarest's spiny pocket mouse ( Heteromys desmarestianus), dusky rice rat ( Melanomys caliginosus), black rat ( Rattus rattus), Rothschild's porcupine ( Coendou rothschildi), Brazilian cottontail ( Sylvilagus brasiliensis), and least shrew ( Cryptotis parva).
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.
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 antivenom (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 rate of 9% and a fatality rate of 6% (Otero et al., 1992).
In the state of Lara, 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).
Herpetology 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, gastrointestinal bleeding, hematuria, hypotension, nausea, vomiting, impaired consciousness and tenderness of the spleen. 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 (5), intracranial hemorrhage (3), acute kidney injury with hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis (2) and hemorrhagic shock (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 Intraperitoneal.
The venomous bite of B. asper has been suggested to have been a factor in the choice of certain Mayan settlements, such as Nim Li Punit, Belize Central America, where the thick jungle inhabited by these snakes was used as a defensive boundary. Nim Li Punit by C. Michael Hogan, at 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), which are normally immune to the venom of Pit viper, 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 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.
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