27829  close encounter with the dreaded terciopelo!🐍

Photo: Panegyrics of Granovetter · CC BY-SA 2.0

SpeciesViperidae
Reptiles

🐍Bothrops asper

Bothrops asper (Garman, 1883)

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.

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Photos
6
Measurements
6
vs you
≈ 1/60th of your weight
Conservation status
LCLeast concern

IUCN Red List assessment, 2021.

Population trendStable
Key measurements
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
All measurements ↓
Facts and figures

Everything we know about the Bothrops asper

Typical adult figures. Where a value is an estimate rather than a measurement, it says so.

Body mass
1.04 kgrecord 7.5 kg · ReptTraits
AnAge
Details ↓

data quality: acceptable

Record: largest individual on record

Source: AnAge · AnAge build 15, 2023-07-03 (HAGR) · CC BY 3.0

Body length
2.5 mmaximum recorded
ReptTraits
Details ↓

Source: ReptTraits · v1.2 (Oskyrko et al. 2024) · CC BY 4.0

Maximum lifespan
20 yearsrecord 21 years · ReptTraits
AnAge
Details ↓

data quality: acceptable

Record: largest individual on record

Source: AnAge · AnAge build 15, 2023-07-03 (HAGR) · CC BY 3.0

Activity cycle
Nocturnal
ReptTraits
Details ↓

Source: ReptTraits · v1.2 (Oskyrko et al. 2024) · CC BY 4.0

Venomous
Yes
ReptTraits
Details ↓

Source: ReptTraits · v1.2 (Oskyrko et al. 2024) · CC BY 4.0

Volume l
1 Laverage
Details ↓

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.

Where it sits

Family tree

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. ›phylumChordata
  3. ›classSquamata
  4. ›familyViperidae
  5. ›genusBothrops
  6. ›speciesBothrops asper
Full lineage
  1. orderLizards & snakes · Squamata
  2. infraorderSnakes · Serpentes
  3. familyViperidae
  4. subfamilyCrotalinae
All 13 branches ↓
  1. kingdomMetazoa
  2. phylumChordata
  3. subphylumCraniata
  4. subphylumVertebrata
  5. superclassGnathostomata
  6. superclassSarcopterygii
  7. superclassTetrapoda
  8. orderSauria
  9. superorderLepidosauria
  10. orderLizards & snakes · Squamata
  11. infraorderSnakes · Serpentes
  12. familyViperidae
  13. subfamilyCrotalinae
More

More about the Bothrops asper

In other languages
Terciopelo-Lanzenotter (de), Bothrops asper (ca), Bothrops asper (es), Bothrops asper (fr), andoki lándzsakígyó (hu), テルシオペロ (ja) … and 17 more languages
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