🐍Bothrops asper
The terciopelo, is a species of pit vipers, found from north-east Mexico to northern South America. At low to moderate elevations, its habitat ranges from northeastern Mexico to Colombian and Ecuadorian Andes, as well as Venezuela. With a mass of up to 6 kilograms (13 lb), and a maximal length of 2.5 metres (8.2 ft), the terciopelo is among the largest vipers. It is light to dark brown in color, often with yellowish, zig-zag patterning on either side of its body. Dubbed "the ultimate pit-viper" for its defensiveness, large size, fangs and potent venom yield, it has a fearsome reputation, responsible for the most envenomated snakebites within its range, largely due to its proximity to humans, livestock and pets. Nonetheless, like all venomous snakes, the terciopelo actively avoids contact with humans and other larger animals, with bites generally only occurring when the snake is cornered, pursued, or threatened. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
IUCN Red List assessment, 2021.
- Body mass
- 1.04 kg
- Body length
- 2.5 m
- Shoulder height
- not recorded
- Top speed
- not recorded
- Bite force
- not recorded
- Maximum lifespan
- 20 years
Everything we know about the Bothrops asper
Typical adult figures. Where a value is an estimate rather than a measurement, it says so.
Body mass1.04 kgrecord 7.5 kg · ReptTraitsAnAgeDetails ↓Hide ↑
data quality: acceptable
Record: largest individual on record
Source: AnAge · AnAge build 15, 2023-07-03 (HAGR) · CC BY 3.0
Body length2.5 mmaximum recordedReptTraitsDetails ↓Hide ↑
Source: ReptTraits · v1.2 (Oskyrko et al. 2024) · CC BY 4.0
Maximum lifespan20 yearsrecord 21 years · ReptTraitsAnAgeDetails ↓Hide ↑
data quality: acceptable
Record: largest individual on record
Source: AnAge · AnAge build 15, 2023-07-03 (HAGR) · CC BY 3.0
Activity cycleNocturnalReptTraitsDetails ↓Hide ↑
Source: ReptTraits · v1.2 (Oskyrko et al. 2024) · CC BY 4.0
VenomousYesReptTraitsDetails ↓Hide ↑
Source: ReptTraits · v1.2 (Oskyrko et al. 2024) · CC BY 4.0
Volume l1 LaverageDetails ↓Hide ↑
Body mass at ~1.0 kg/L, the density of vertebrate tissue.
average = a mean across sexes or species in a group.
Not recorded for Bothrops asper yet: shoulder height, top speed, bite force.
Family tree
- orderLizards & snakes · Squamata
- infraorderSnakes · Serpentes
- familyViperidae
- subfamilyCrotalinae
All 13 branches ↓Fewer branches ↑
- kingdomMetazoa
- phylumChordata
- subphylumCraniata
- subphylumVertebrata
- superclassGnathostomata
- superclassSarcopterygii
- superclassTetrapoda
- orderSauria
- superorderLepidosauria
- orderLizards & snakes · Squamata
- infraorderSnakes · Serpentes
- familyViperidae
- subfamilyCrotalinae
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