Porthidium ophryomegas
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox
Porthidium ophryomegas is a venomous pitviper species found in Central America. No subspecies are currently recognized.[3]
Description
Adults usually grow to a length of Script error: No such module "convert". and have a relatively slender build. Females grow larger than males and are often more than Script error: No such module "convert". in length, while males are usually about Script error: No such module "convert".. One exceptional specimen, a female, was reported to measure Script error: No such module "convert"..[1]
The color pattern consists of a tan, brown, gray or grayish-brown ground color overlaid with a narrow white, yellow or rust brown vertebral stripe and 24–40 dark brown to almost black blotches that oppose or alternate across the vertebral line. The blotches have thin white borders that extend at roughly a right angle from the vertebral line.[1]
Geographic range
Found in Central America in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The type locality given is "les terres chaudes du versant occidental de la Cordillère Escuintla (Guatémala)" (= warm regions on western slope of Cordillera, Escuintla, Guatemala).[4]
Habitat
Occurs in seasonally dry forests, including tropical dry forests, arid forests, subtropical dry forests, and the more arid parts of tropical moist forests.[1]
Behavior
When threatened, these snakes have been known to defend themselves vigorously, often striking with such force that the body is thrown forwards or even leaves the ground.[2]
Feeding
The diet consists of rodents and lizards. Juveniles feed mostly on lizards, as well as small frogs if available.[2]
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, females give birth to live young that are about 6 inches (15 cm) in length.[2]
Venom
One death was confirmed in August, 2022Script error: No such module "Unsubst".. They are quick to strike and several cases of serious envenomation have required hospitalization. According to Bolaños (1984), of the 477 cases of snakebite in Costa Rica in 1979, three were due to these snakes.[1]
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ a b c d e Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. 2 volumes. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. Template:ISBN.
- ↑ a b c d Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. Template:ISBN.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "template wrapper".
- ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Further reading
- Bocourt, M.F. 1868. Descriptions de quelques Crotaliens nouveaux appartenant au genre Bothrops, recueillis dans le Guatémala. Annales des sciences naturelles, Series 5, 10: 201–202. ("Bothrops ophryomegas n. sp.")
External links
- Porthidium ophryomegas at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 6 August 2008.