Atheris hispida

2025-05-02T12:30:42Z

72.78.103.165: /* Description */

{{Short description|Species of snake}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Atheris hispida.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref>{{cite iucn|author=Kusamba, C.|author2= Branch, W.R.|author3= Wagner, P.|author4= Beraduccii, J. |author5= Chippaux, J.-P. |name-list-style=amp |year=2021 |title= ''Atheris hispida'' |page= e.T44980127A44980134 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44980127A44980134.en |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
| genus = Atheris
| species = hispida
| authority = [[Raymond Laurent|Laurent]], 1955
| synonyms = * ''Atheris squamigera'' [[Karl Patterson Schmidt|Schmidt]], 1923 (part)
* ''Atheris squamiger'' [[Gaston-François de Witte|de Witte]], 1933 (part)
* ''Atheris squamigera squamigera'' de Witte, 1941 (part)
* ''Atheris hispida'' Laurent, 1955
* ''Atheris hispida'' Meirte, 1992<ref name="McD99">McDiarmid RW, [[Jonathan A. Campbell|Campbell JA]], Touré T. 1999. ''Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1''. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. {{ISBN|1-893-77700-6}} (series). {{ISBN|1-893-77701-4}} (volume).</ref>
}}

'''''Atheris hispida''''' is a [[Viperinae|viper]] [[species]] [[Endemism|endemic]] to [[Central Africa]]. Like all other vipers, it is [[venomous snake|venomous]]. It is known for its extremely keeled [[dorsal scales]] ("spikes") that give it a bristly appearance.<ref name="Mal03"/> No [[subspecies]] are currently recognized.<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=634945 |taxon=''Atheris hispida'' |accessdate=10 July 2007}}</ref> Common names include '''rough-scaled bush viper''', '''spiny bush viper''',<ref name="SB95">{{cite book |author=Spawls S, Branch B |year=1995 |title=The Dangerous Snakes of Africa |location=Dubai |publisher=Oriental Press (Ralph Curtis Books) |page=192 |isbn=0-883-59029-8}}</ref><ref name="Mal03">Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. {{ISBN|0-894-64877-2}}.</ref> '''hairy bush viper''',<ref name="Mal03"/><ref name="WOA">{{WOA|page=hispida|subject=''Atheris hispida''|date=8 September|year=2007}}</ref> and [[Atheris hispida#Common names|others]].

==Description==
The males of this species grow to a maximum total length of {{cvt|73|cm|in}}: body {{cvt|58|cm|in}}, tail {{cvt|15|cm|in}}. Females grow to a maximum total length of {{cvt|58|cm|in}}. The males are surprisingly long and slender compared to the females.<ref name="Mal03"/>

The head has a short snout, more so in males than in females. The eyes are large and surrounded by 9–16 [[circumorbital scales]]. The orbits (eyes) are separated by 7–9 scales. The nostril is like a slit and separated from the eye by two scales. The eye and the [[supralabials]] are separated by a single row of scales. The supralabials number 7-10, of which the fourth is enlarged.<ref name="Mal03"/> The body is covered with elongated, heavily keeled dorsal scales that give this animal a unique 'shaggy' look, almost bristly in appearance. The scales around the head and neck are the longest, decreasing posteriorly. Midbody, the [[dorsal scales]] are in 15–19 rows. There are 149–166 [[ventral scales]] and 35–64 [[subcaudals]]. The [[anal scale]] is single.<ref name="SB95"/><ref name="Mal03"/>

==Common Names==
Rough-scaled bush viper, spiny bush viper
<ref name="SB95"/><ref name="Mal03"/> hairy bush viper,<ref name="Mal03"/><ref name="WOA"/> rough-scaled tree viper,<ref name="WOA"/> African hairy bush viper,<ref name="NRDB">{{NRDB species|genus=Atheris|species=hispida|date=12 January|year=2020}}</ref> hairy viper.<ref name="Meh87">{{cite book |author=Mehrtens JM |year=1987 |title=Living Snakes of the World in Color |location=New York |publisher=Sterling Publishers |page=[https://archive.org/details/livingsnakesofwo00mehr/page/480 480] |isbn=0-8069-6460-X |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/livingsnakesofwo00mehr/page/480 }}</ref>

==Geographic range==
Central and East Africa: northern and eastern [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|DR Congo]], southwestern [[Uganda]], west [[Kenya]], and northwestern [[Tanzania]]. The [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] given is "Lutunguru, [[Kivu]]" (DR Congo).<ref name="NRDB"/>

More specifically, Spawls & Branch (1995) describe the distribution as isolated populations in Kivu and [[Orientale Province|Orientale]] Provinces in DR Congo, southeastern [[Ruwenzori Range|Ruwenzori]] in Uganda and the [[Kakamega Forest]] in western Kenya.<ref name="SB95"/>

==Behavior==
Capable of climbing reeds and stalks, this species is often found basking on top of flowers and terminal leaves. Mostly nocturnal.<ref name="Meh87"/>

==Feeding==
Feeds on [[mammal]]s, [[frog]]s, [[lizard]]s, and sometimes [[bird]]s. Sometimes hunts for mammalian prey on the ground.<ref name="Meh87"/>

==Reproduction==
Females give birth to up to 12 young at a time. Newborns are about {{cvt|15|cm|in}} in total length.<ref name="Meh87"/>

==Venom==
Not much is known about their venom except that it is mainly [[neurotoxic]]. Besides the [[neurotoxin]]s, they also carry [[cytotoxins]] and [[fasciculin|fasciculins]]. Toxicity of individual specimens within the same species and subspecies can vary greatly based on several factors, including geographical region. Even the weather and altitude can influence toxicity (Ernst and Zug et al. 1996). A bite can be fatal to humans without access to proper [[Snakebite (bite)#Pressure immobilization|first aid]] and subsequent [[antivenom]] treatment. Until recently, their venom has often been regarded as less toxic than that of many other species, perhaps because bites are uncommon, but this turned out not to be the case. There are now a number of reports of bites that have led to severe hemorrhaging of internal organs.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*[[Raymond Laurent|Laurent RF]]. 1955. ''Diagnoses preliminaires des quelques Serpents venimeux''. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. (''Revue de zoologie et de botanique africaines'') '''51''': 127–139. (''Atheris hispida'', p. 138.)
*Hassl, A. A case of a facultative life-cycle diversification in the fluke Pleurogenoides sp. (Lecithodendriidae, Plagiorchiida). Wien Klin Wochenschr 122 (Suppl 3), 91–93 (2010). <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-010-1444-8</nowiki>



{{Taxonbar|from=Q2699733}}

[[Category:Atheris|hispida]]
[[Category:Snakes of Africa]]
[[Category:Reptiles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Kenya]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Tanzania]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Uganda]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Raymond Laurent]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 1955]]

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Atheris hispida