Agkistrodon bilineatus
| Agkistrodon bilineatus | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Agkistrodon |
| Species: | A. bilineatus |
| Binomial name | |
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Agkistrodon bilineatus (Günther, 1863) |
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| Range map for A. bilineatus. Dark blue = A. b. bilineatus, red = A. b. howardgloydi, green = A. b. russeolus, light blue = A. b. taylori. | |
| Synonyms | |
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Agkistrodon bilineatus is a venomous pitviper species found in Mexico and Central America as far south as Costa Rica. Four subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
These are heavy-bodied snakes, and share the same general body structure with cottonmouths. They average around 60 cm (24 in) in length and have a broad, triangular-shaped head with small eyes that have vertical pupils.
Coloration can vary, but most are brown or black, with darker brown or black banding, sometimes with white or cream-colored accents. A. taylori is known for being more elaborately patterned, often having distinct tan-colored banding, sometimes with orange or yellow accents that can almost appear gold in color. There are the following distinctive yellow and/or white lines on the head: a vertical line on the rostral and mental, a fine line on the canthus continuing above and beyond the eye to the neck, a broader line on the upper lip from the anterior nasal to the last labial. Juveniles are almost always distinctly banded, with bright green or yellow tail tips, which they use to lure prey. As they age, their pattern and coloration fade and darken.
Mexican ground pit viper, Cantil viper, cantil, Mexican moccasin, neotropical moccasin, Mexican yellow-lipped viper.
The common name, cantil, is based on the Tzeltal word kantiil, which means "yellow lips."
Mexico and Central America. On the Atlantic side it is found in Mexico in Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, possibly northern Veracruz and Chiapas (in the Middle Grijalva Valley). On the Yucatan Peninsula it occurs in Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and northern Belize. On the Pacific side it is found from southern Sonora in Mexico south through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua to northwestern Costa Rica. On the Pacific side the distribution is almost continuous, while on the Atlantic side it is disjunct. The type locality given is "Pacific coast of Guatemala."
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Wikipedia