Common names: Angolan adder.

Bitis heraldica is a 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...

 viper

Viperinae

The Viperinae, or viperines, are a subfamily of venomous vipers found in Europe, Asia and Africa. They are distinguished by their lack of the heat-sensing pit organs that characterize their sister group, the Crotalinae. Currently, 12 genera and 66 species are recognized...

 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 found only in Angola

Angola

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...

. Easily distinguished from B. caudalis

Bitis caudalis

Bitis caudalis is a venomous viper species found in the arid region of south-west Africa. Easily distinguished by the presence of a single, large horn-like scale over each eye. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:...

 by its heavily speckled belly and lack of any supraocular horns. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Geographic range

The high plateau of central Angola

Angola

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...

. The type locality given is "sur les bords de la rivière Calae, l'un des affluents de Cunene, entre le 13^o et 14^o parallèle á l'est de Caconda." [Calai River (tributary of the Kunene

Cunene River

The Cunene River or Kunene River is a river in Southern Africa. It flows from the Angola highlands south to the border with Namibia. It then flows west along the border until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the few perennial rivers in the region. It is about long, with a drainage...

), Cacanda, Angola.