Rhinoceros viper
The rhinoceros viper is a large, stout snake with bright colours and two or three horn-like scales on its nose. It lives in forests across West and Central Africa. It is venomous, and its venom is mainly hemotoxic, meaning it attacks the blood and circulation.1

Como recoñecelo
- Large and stout, with rough, heavily keeled scales1
- Two or three horn-like scales on the end of the nose, the front pair often long1
- Series of blue or blue-green oblong markings, each with a lemon-yellow line down the centre, set within black blotches1
- Dark crimson triangles down the flanks, bordered with green or blue1
- Top of the head blue or green, with a black arrow mark1
Adoita confundirse con: The name horned puff adder is also used for Bitis caudalis (horned adder), which is a different species. Because of this, names can cause confusion, so the name butterfly viper is preferred.1
Poder da pezoña
A pezoña sae polos seus cairos ou dentes cando morde.
Que fai a súa pezoña?
Its venom is mainly hemotoxic, which attacks the circulatory system, destroying tissue and blood vessels and causing internal bleeding. It also has a neurotoxic component, which attacks the nerves. Small doses of the venom can be deadly. In the few detailed reports of human bites, massive swelling was described, which may lead to necrosis (death of tissue).1
Que perigoso é para as persoas?
Perigo para as persoas: Moi perigosoPode matar a unha persoa que non reciba tratamento.Because its range is restricted, few bites have been reported and no statistics are available. In 2003 a man in Dayton, Ohio, who kept one as a pet, was bitten and died.1
Boas novas: os médicos teñen un medicamento (antiveleno) ou un tratamento para isto.1
Que fai cando ten medo?
When approached it often reveals its presence with a very loud hiss, almost a shriek, and it can strike quickly forwards or sideways without coiling first or giving a warning.1
Se morde
- Mantén a persoa quieta e tranquila, mantén o membro mordido á altura do corazón, quítalle aneis e cousas apertadas e vai rápido a un hospital.
Chama sempre primeiro ao teu número de emerxencias (112, 000, 911). Isto son consellos xerais de primeiros auxilios, non consello médico. Primeiros auxilios básicos
Mantente a salvo
- Nunca toques, collas nin molestes un animal salvaxe, aínda que sexa pequeno e aínda que pareza durmido ou morto.
- Déixalle espazo. Se atopas un, mantén a calma, recúa amodo e déixao ir polo seu camiño.
- Se un te morde: mantén a calma, non te movas, chama ao teu número de emerxencias (112, 000, 911) ou vai rápido a un hospital. Lembra como era, unha foto axuda.
Non vai a por ti. Usa a súa pezoña para cazar comida ou para defenderse, e prefire con moito agocharse. Máis sobre como estar a salvo
En que lugar do mundo?
Que tamaño ten?
Canto mide?
mide coma 2 gatos domésticos do fociño á cola
mide coma 6 bananas postas en fila
podería percorrer 100 metros en 100 segundos (o humano máis rápido precisa 9,6)Que tamaño ten Rhinoceros viper comparado CONTIGO?
Só son contas no teu navegador. Non se garda nin se envía nada a ningures.
Que rápido é?
Datos
Its scales are so rough that they can cut people who handle a snake that is struggling.1
Its vivid colours break up its outline in the dappled light of the forest floor, so it is very hard to see.1
Its fangs are not large, rarely more than 1.5 cm long, and when not in use they fold up into the roof of its mouth.1
Its bright colours fade quickly after it sheds its skin, as silt from its moist habitat builds up on its rough scales.1
At least one antivenom, called India Antiserum Africa Polyvalent, protects specifically against bites from this species.1
Desmontamitos
Mito: Its bright colours make it easy to spot in the forest.
Verdade: Its colours give it excellent camouflage in the dappled light of the forest floor, which can make it almost invisible.1
Para expertos en pezoñas
De onde veñen os datos
- Bitis nasicornis (Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0))
- Bitis nasicornis (iNaturalist): nomes e clasificación.
- Venom Wiki: o nivel de perigo, o tamaño típico e a velocidade estimada son nosos. Mira como os calculamos: Como valoramos o perigo.
Cada dato desta páxina ten un número que leva á súa fonte. Se nos equivocamos nalgo, sentímolo, somos fans dos animais, non unha revista científica. Dínolo en [email protected] e arranxarémolo.
Morde

