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Tag: Butterfly Viper

The butterfly viper, also known as the rhinoceros viper, is a puff adder endemic to central and western Africa. As an ambush predator, this carnivorous snake relies on camouflage as it waits for prey. After striking, it sinks its hollow fangs into its victim and delivers a deadly hemotoxic venom.

FFA

Free-For-All: Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 31, 2019September 18, 2021 by Noelle M. Brooks in Art, Free-For-All, Updates

Shadowind digitally painted a literal representation of the butterfly viper with a winged, colorful snake floating amongst a delicate array of flowers. With both butterfly wings and flowers referenced from those found in Africa, a great deal of research and detail went into creating this saturated composition.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 31, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The average lifespan of the butterfly viper in captivity is 8.3 years.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 30, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

Butterfly vipers are sometimes found in shallow pools and have been described as powerful swimmers.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 29, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

Butterfly vipers display sexual dimorphism as females are larger and males have more subcaudal scales.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 28, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

After the butterfly viper sheds its skin, the bright colors fade quickly as silt from their moist habitat accumulates on the scales.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 27, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

Because of the butterfly viper's restricted geographic range, few bites have been reported and no statistics are available, but at least one death has occurred.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 26, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is a slow-moving snake that uses its scales for movement, stretching its skin across its ribs and releasing the tension to slither, like other snakes.

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Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 25, 2019August 11, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

Butterfly vipers are bred domestically and sold online in the exotic pet trade.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 24, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper's closest relative is the rhinoceros viper (Bitis rhinoceros), which has a duller color pattern, wider head, and lacks the distinct, black arrow mark on the head.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 23, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is known as the "River Jack" because of its moist habitat preference and often lives near water or in a swampy environment.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 22, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper's scales are so rough and heavily keeled that they can inflict cuts when being handled.

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Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 21, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper has hollow fangs that deliver venom deep into the snake's victims but are folded into the roof of the mouth when not in use and shed every 6-10 weeks.

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Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 20, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

Primarily nocturnal, the butterfly viper hides during the day in leaf litter and holes or around fallen trees and tangled roots of forest trees.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 19, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is viviparous, giving live birth to 6-38 offspring at the start of the rainy season in March and April.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 18, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

When approached, butterfly vipers often reveal their presence by hissing, said to be the loudest hiss of any African snake—almost a shriek.

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Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 17, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

Although terrestrial, the butterfly viper uses its partially prehensile tail to climb into trees and thickets in search of food and has been found up to 3 m. above ground.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 16, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

Relatively little is known about the toxicity and composition of the butterfly viper's single hemotoxic and neurotoxic venom, but it's supposedly less toxic than that of a Gaboon viper.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 15, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is known as the "rhinoceros viper" but that name can cause confusion with its close relative, also known as the "rhinoceros viper", (Bitis rhinoceros).

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 14, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

As an ambush predator, the butterfly viper is a non-aggressive, slow-moving, placid animal and will not bite unless provoked or hungry.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 13, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper can strike with lightning speed, up to half its body length, in any direction.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 12, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

No subspecies of the butterfly viper are currently recognized.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper Trivia

Posted on August 11, 2019January 28, 2021 by Noelle M. Brooks in Trivia, Updates

Do you think you know the butterfly viper? Test your knowledge of butterfly viper FaunaFacts with this trivia quiz!

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 11, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The beautiful color patterns of the butterfly viper varies among individuals as Western specimens are more blue, while those from the East are more green.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 10, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is 1 of 15 puff adder species, named for their characteristic threat display in which they puff up and enlarge their bodies to twice their normal size.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 9, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is carnivorous and feeds on smaller prey than the Gaboon viper, such as toads, frogs, fish, and mice.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 8, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is one of the most dangerous and venomous snakes as just small doses of its venom can be deadly, destroying tissue and blood vessels and causing internal bleeding and massive hemorrhaging.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 7, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

One of the butterfly viper's most distinguishing characteristics is its small, flattened, narrow, triangular-shaped head with a dark triangular-shaped marking on the back.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 6, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper inhabits forested areas and tropical forests and rarely ventures into woodlands.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 5, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is endemic to central and western Africa and has a more restricted range than the Gaboon viper.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 4, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

Butterfly vipers are large, stout, heavy-bodied snakes that average 60-90 cm. in length, but can reach up to 2.1 m.

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 3, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper has not been evaluated by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is thus classified as "Not Evaluated."

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Butterfly Viper

Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 2, 2019July 29, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is an ambush predator, relying on cryptic coloration as camouflage to hide from its prey.

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Butterfly Viper

Posted on August 1, 2019August 1, 2019 by Noelle M. Brooks in FaunaFacts

The butterfly viper is also known as the "rhinoceros viper" because of the 2-3 horn-like projections it has above each nostril.

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