Cerastes
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The cerastes (Greek: κεράστης, transliteration: kerastēs, meaning "having horns"[1]) is a creature of Greek legend, a serpent that is incredibly flexible—so much so that it is said to have no spine. Cerastae can have either two large ram-like horns or two pairs of smaller horns. The cerastes hides its head in the sand with only the horns protruding out of the surface; this is meant to deceive other animals into thinking it is food. When the animal approaches the cerastes, the cerastes promptly kills it.[2]
The legend is most likely derived from the habits of the horned viper, whose genus, Cerastes, is named after the mythological creature. They are desert-dwelling animals, which can have horn-like protrusions over their eyes, and are ambush predators, though not nearly large enough to take prey items much larger than a mouse or small lizard.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Leonardo da Vinci wrote the following on the cerastes: Template:Quote
See also
Notes
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- ↑ Perseus (Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon of Classical Greek) - kerastês, ou, ho, horned, elaphos Soph. El. 568; kantharos IDEM=S.Ichn.300; of a ram, ô kerasta Eur. Cycl. 52 (lyr.); Pan Antip.ti=E. Oxy.662.49, Corn. ND27; Saturoi Luc.Bacch.1:-- # fem. kerastis, idos, of Io, Aesch. PB 674. II. as Subst., horned serpent or asp, Cerastes cornutus, Nic. Th.258, LXX Pr.23.32, D.S.3.50, Ael.NA1.57; hoi k. opheis Call.Hist. 3. 2. pest which destroys fig-trees, Thphr.HP4.14.5, au=Thphr. HP 5.4.5.
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