Atropoides
Encyclopedia
- Common names: jumping pitvipers, jumping vipers.
Atropoides is a genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of venomous
Venomous snake
"Poisonous snake" redirects here. For true poisonous snakes, see Rhabdophis.Venomous snakes are snakes which have venom glands and specialized teeth for the injection of venom...
pitviper
Crotalinae
The Crotalinae, commonly known as "pit vipers" or crotaline snakes, are a subfamily of venomous vipers found in Asia and the Americas. They are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on either side of the head...
s found in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. Three species are currently recognized. The common names suggest they are able to leap at an attacker, but this is likely exaggerated.
Description
All of these snakes are extremely thick-bodied, with A. nummiferAtropoides nummifer
Atropoides nummifer is a venomous pitviper species found in Mexico and Central America. Currently, 3 subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Description:...
being the most stout and A. picadoi
Atropoides picadoi
Atropoides picadoi is a venomous pitviper species found in Central America. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:Adults commonly reach 75-95 cm in length with a maximum of 120.2 cm. Extremely stout, though not quite so much as A. n. mexicanus.-Geographic range:Found in the mountains...
being the most slender. However, the greatest recorded length is for A. picadoi, with one specimen that measured 120.2 cm (47 in). The head is large, with small eyes and a broadly rounded snout. The tail is short, not prehensile, and accounts for only 15% of the total body length.
The color pattern usually consists of a gray-brown or reddish brown ground color (sometimes yellow, cream, purplish brown or black) overlaid with a series of lateral and dorsal blotches. The shape of these blotches is subject to some variation, but is sometimes still helpful for identification.
Geographic range
Found in the mountains of eastern MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
southeastward on the Atlantic versant and lowlands though Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
to central Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. On the Pacific versant, they occur in isolated populations in east-central and southern Mexico, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
and Panama.
Behavior
The common name alludes to the supposed ability these snakes have to launch themselves at an attacker during a strike, thereby bridging a distance that are equal to or greater than the length of the body. Mehrtens (1987) states that they live up to their name, striking at their assailants with such force that they actually leave the ground. Campbell and Lamar (2004), on the other hand, describe this is greatly exaggerated, saying that actually these snakes are only able to strike about half of their own body length. In addition, they describe them as slow moving and non-aggressive. However, when provoked all species will put on a rather dramatic open-mouth threat display.These snakes may be active both during the day or at night. On the other hand, populations found at higher altitudes seem to active only during daylight hours and never at night.
Feeding
Adults feed mainly on small mammals and lizards, while juveniles feed on orthopterans and skinkSkink
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae. Together with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae , they comprise the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha...
s.
Venom
Unlike most vipersViperidae
The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Antarctica, Australia, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii, various other isolated islands, and above the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Four...
, members of this genus will strike and then hold on and chew. In one case, a machete was used to pry off the jaws. March (1929) wrote that A. mexicanus (A. nummifer) will hang on and make half a dozen punctures unless quickly and forcibly removed. However, the effects of the venom include only transient pain and mild swelling. In one part of Honduras the locals even insist that the snake (A. nummifer) is not venomous. Laboratory studies suggest that Atropoides venoms are unlikely to lead to consumption coagulopathy and incoagulable blood in humans. However, other research revealed that of ten different Costa Rican pit viper venoms tested on mice, that of A. picadoi was the most hemorrhagic.
Species
| Species | Taxon author | Subsp.* | Common name | Geographic range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. nummifer Atropoides nummifer Atropoides nummifer is a venomous pitviper species found in Mexico and Central America. Currently, 3 subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Description:... |
Rüppell, 1845 | 2 | Mexican jumping pitviper | Eastern Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... from San Luis Potosí San Luis Potosí San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí.... southeastward on the Atlantic versant and lowlands through northern Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast... , southern Belize Belize Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official... , Honduras Honduras Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize... , Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean... and Costa Rica Costa Rica Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east.... to central Panama Panama Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The... . On the Pacific versant in disjunct populations from southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador El Salvador El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America... , Costa Rica and Panama. Found in various types of forest, including cloud forest and rain forest at 40–1600 m altitude. |
| A. olmec Atropoides olmec Atropoides olmec is a venomous pitviper species found in Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:Extremely stout, females are known to reach a maximum of 77.0 cm in length, males 61.8 cm.-Geographic range:... |
Pérez-Higareda, H.M. Smith Hobart M. Smith Hobart Muir Smith, born Frederick William Stouffer , is an American herpetologist. He was born in Stanwood, Iowa, United States. He has been credited with describing several new species of North American reptiles and amphibians... & Juliá-Zertuche, 1985 |
0 | Tuxtlan jumping pitviper | Mexico on the upper slopes of the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas Sierra de los Tuxtlas The Sierra de Los Tuxtlas are a volcanic belt and mountain range along the southeastern Veracruz Gulf coast in southcentral Mexico.... in southern Veracruz Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is... . |
| A. picadoi Atropoides picadoi Atropoides picadoi is a venomous pitviper species found in Central America. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:Adults commonly reach 75-95 cm in length with a maximum of 120.2 cm. Extremely stout, though not quite so much as A. n. mexicanus.-Geographic range:Found in the mountains... T |
Dunn Emmett Reid Dunn Emmett Reid Dunn was an American herpetologist noted for his work in Panama and for studies of salamanders in the Eastern United States. He attended Haverford College as an undergraduate and received his PhD from Harvard University. After receiving his PhD taught at Smith College... , 1939 |
0 | Picado's jumping pitviper | In the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama at 50–1500 m altitude. This includes the Cordillera de Tilarán, the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera de Talamanca Cordillera de Talamanca The Cordillera de Talamanca is a mountain range that lies on the border between Costa Rica and Panama. Much of the range and the area around it is included in the La Amistad International Park, which also is shared between the two countries.... . |
- ) Not including the nominate subspecies.
T) Type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
.
External links
- Video: Herpetologist Austin StevensAustin StevensAustin James Stevens is a South African-born herpetologist and wildlife photographer best known for hosting a series of snake documentaries. Austin is also the author of 2 books.-Biography:...
shares his canteen with a jumping pit viper at Austin Stevens: Snakemaster. Accessed 2 November 2006.