Bitis caudalis

Bitis caudalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Bitis
Species:	B. caudalis
Binomial name
Bitis caudalis (A. Smith, 1839)
Synonyms
Vipera ocellata A. Smith, 1838 Cerastes ocellatus — A. Smith, 1838 Vipera caudalis A. Smith, 1839 Vipera (Cerastes) caudalis — A. Smith, 1839 Cerastes caudalis — Gray, 1842 Vipera caudalis — Jan, 1859 V[ipera]. (Cerastes) caudalis — Jan, 1863 Bitis caudalis — Boulenger, 1896 Cobra caudalis — Mertens, 1937 Bitis caudalis caudalis — Mertens, 1955 Bitis caudalis — Branch, 1991

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

The species is commonly known as the horned adder,horned puff adder, or horned viper

A short, stout little viper, it usually averages 30–40 cm (12-16 inches) in total length (body + tail). The largest specimen reported is a female from southern Botswana measuring 51.5 cm (20.3 in) total length.

The snake is found in far arid regions of southwest Africa: southwest Angola, Namibia, across the Kalahari Desert of southern Botswana, into northern Transvaal and southwestern Zimbabwe. In South Africa, it is found from the northern Cape Province south to the Great Karoo.

Its type locality is given as "... the sandy districts north of the Cape Colony..." [South Africa].

Horned adders are mostly found in sparsely vegetated desert and semiarid scrub country.

Bites are assumed to be rare and no epidemiological data are available. Little information is available regarding the toxicity and amount of venom produced. Spawls and Branch (1995) reported an average yield of 85 mg of wet venom, while Christensen (1971) offered an LD₅₀ value of 1.2 mg/kg IV. Other research has found the LD₅₀ to be between 0.15-0.22 mg/kg

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Wikipedia