Common names: plain mountain adder, hornless adder. Cape puff adder.

Bitis inornata 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 Cape Province

Cape Province

The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...

, South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Geographic range

Isolated population on the Sneeuberg, eastern Cape Province

Cape Province

The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...

, South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. The type locality is listed as "Sneeuwbergen, or Snow Mountains, ... immediately behind the village of Graaff Raynet

Graaff Reinet

Graaff-Reinet is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is the fourth oldest town in South Africa, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Swellendam.-History:...

" (Eastern Cape Province, South Africa).

Spawls and Branch (1995) describe it as known only from two isolated population in southern Cape Province in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

: the first in the east, limited to the montane grassland on the Sneeuberg, from north of Graaf Reniet to Cradock

Cradock, Eastern Cape

Cradock is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, in the upper valley of the Great Fish River, by rail northeast of Port Elizabeth. The town is the administrative seat of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape. The estimated population...

. A second population was discovered relatively recently on the upper slopes of the Cedarberg

Cederberg

The Cederberg mountains and nature reserve are located near Clanwilliam, approximately 300 km north of Cape Town, South Africa at about . The mountain range is named after the endangered Clanwilliam Cedar , which is a tree endemic to the area. The mountains are noted for dramatic rock...

 in the west.

Conservation status

This species is classified as vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List for the following criteria: A2cd, B1+2ab. This means that a population reduction of at least 20% is projected or suspected to be met within the next ten years or three generations, whichever is the longer, due to a decline in the area of occupancy, extent of occurrence and/or quality of habitat, or due to actual or potential levels of exploitation. Also, the extent of occurrence is estimated to cover less than 100 km², or the area of occupancy is estimated to be less than 10 km², and the population is severely fragmented or known to exist at only a single location. Finally, a continuing decline has been observed, inferred or projected, in the area of occupancy. Year assessed: 1996.

External links

• Bitis inornata at Biodiversity.mongabay.com. Accessed 2 August 2007.