Bothriechis is a genus of pit vipers, commonly called palm vipers or palm-pit vipers found predominantly in Mexico and Central America. All members are relatively slender and arboreal. The name Bothriechis is derived from the Greek words bothros and echis that mean "pit" and "viper" respectively. Ten species and no subspecies are currently generally recognized.
Description
Species that belong to the genus Bothriechis typically reach a total length (tail included) of 60–80 cm (24–31 in), while B. aurifer, B. bicolor and B. lateralis are known to grow to a total length of 1 m (39 in) or more.
General characteristics include a sharply defined canthus rostralis, an unelevated snout, a rostral scale that is not as high as it is broad, and a prehensile tail that accounts for at least 15% of the body length.
The color pattern usually consists of a green ground color that may or may not include pale or dark markings. B. schlegelii is an exception to this rule.
Geographic range
Bothriechis species occur in southern Mexico (southeastern Oaxaca and the northern highlands of Chiapas), through Central America to northern South America (Colombia, western Venezuela, Ecuador and northern Peru).
Behavior
As a general rule, species of Bothriechis found above 1,500 m (4,900 ft) altitude tend to be diurnal, while those found below 1,000 m (3,300 ft) tend to be active at night. Those found between 1,000 and 1,500 m (3,300 and 4,900 ft) may be active at any time of the day.
Venom
Bothriechis venom is primarily a haemotoxin which causes severe pain, swelling, bleb formation, bruising, and quite often necrosis. If untreated it can lead to loss of a limb, or even death. Each year several farmers and plantation workers are bitten by eyelash vipers, sometimes resulting in fatalities. Wyeth in the United States and Instituto Clodomiro Picado in Costa Rica both manufacture different polyvalent antivenins which can be used to...
