African puff adder

Bitis arietans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Bitis
Species:	B. arietans
Binomial name
Bitis arietans (Merrem, 1820)
Distribution range
Synonyms
Click to expand Cobra lachesis Laurenti, 1768 Cobra clotho Laurenti, 1768 Coluber lachesis — Gmelin, 1788 Coluber clotho — Gmelin, 1788 Coluber bitin Bonnaterre, 1790 Coluber intumescens Donndorff, 1798 Vipera severa Latreille In Sonnini & Latreille, 1801 Vipera (Echidna) arietans Merrem, 1820 Vipera inflata Burchell, 1822 Echidna arietans — Wagler, 1828 Vipera brachyura Cuvier, 1829 Vipera arietans — Schlegel, 1837 Clotho (Bitis) arietans — Gray, 1842 Clotho (Bitis) lateristriga Gray, 1842 Echidna arietans — A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854 Bitis arietans — Günther, 1858 Bitis arietans — Boulenger, 1896 Cobra lachesis — Mertens, 1937 Bitis lachesis — Mertens, 1938 Bitis lachesis lachesis — , 1953 Bitis arietans arietans — Loveridge, 1953 Bitis arietans peghullae Steward, 1973 Bitis arietans — Golay et al., 1993 Vipera (Clotho) arietans — Herprint Int'l, 1994 Bitis arietans — Spawls & Branch, 1995

Bitis arietans is a venomous viper species found in savannah and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rain forest regions. It is responsible for causing the most snakebite fatalities in Africa owing to various factors, such as its wide distribution, frequent occurrence in highly populated regions, and aggressive disposition. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

The species is commonly known as the puff adder,African puff adder, or common puff adder.

"arietans" = "striking violently" and is derived from the Latin arieto.

The average size is about 1m (39.3 inches) in total length (body + tail) and very stout. Large specimens of 190 cm (75 in) total length, weighing over 6.0 kg (13.2 lbs) and with a girth of 40 cm (16 in) have been reported. Specimens from Saudi Arabia are not as large, usually no more than 80 cm (31 in) in total length. Males are usually larger than females and have relatively longer tails. The head has a less than triangular shape with a blunt and rounded snout. Still, the head is much wider than the neck. The rostral scale is small. The circumorbital ring consists of 10–16 scales. Across the top of the head, there are 7–11 interocular scales. 3–4 scales separate the suboculars and the supralabials. There are 12–17 supralabials and 13–17 sublabials. The first 3–4 sublabials contact the chin shields, of which there is only one pair. Often, there are two fangs on each maxilla and both can be functional.

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