Lachesis acrochorda, also known commonly as the Chocoan bushmaster,[3] is a species of venomous pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is native to Central America and South America.
| Lachesis acrochorda | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Lachesis |
| Species: | L. acrochorda
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lachesis acrochorda (García, 1896)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Taxonomy edit
L. acrochorda was formerly considered a synonym of Lachesis stenophrys.[2]
Description edit
L. acrochorda has a light brown head and black postocular stripes that can range from 1-2 scales wide. The longest recorded length of a male individual in Ecuador was 2.327 m (7.63 ft); for females it was 2.342 m (7.68 ft).[2]
Geographic range edit
L. acrochorda is found in Panama, northern and western Colombia (in the Departments of Chocó, Cauca and Antioquia), and northwestern Ecuador.[1]
Habitat edit
The preferred natural habitat of L. acrochorda is lowland forest, premontane wet forest, and montane wet forest, mostly in mature forests, at altitudes from sea level to 1,600 m (5,200 ft).[1]
Behavior edit
L. acrochorda is terrestrial and nocturnal.[1]
Reproduction edit
Venom edit
The venom of L. acrochorda is extremely dangerous in that a snakebite incident will result in a 90% chance of death. Its venom can cause serious side effects, such as vasodilation and blood anti-coagulation.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Ibáñez, R.; Jaramillo, C.; Ortega, A.; Caicedo, J.R. (2021). "Lachesis acrochorda". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021. IUCN: e.T203667A2769578. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T203667A2769578.en.
- ^ a b c d Lachesis acrochorda at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 5 September 2015.
- ^ Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. 2 volumes. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates. 870 pp., 1,500 plates. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.
- ^ Angel-Camilo, Karen Leonor; Guerrero-Vargas, Jimmy Alexander; Carvalho, Emanuella Feitosa de; Lima-Silva, Karine; de Siqueira, Rodrigo José Bezerra; Freitas, Lyara Barbosa Nogueira; Sousa, João Antônio Costa de; Mota, Mario Rogério Lima; Santos, Armênio Aguiar dos; Neves-Ferreira, Ana Gisele da Costa; Havt, Alexandre (2020). "Disorders on cardiovascular parameters in rats and in human blood cells caused by Lachesis acrochorda snake venom". Toxicon. 184: 180–191. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.06.009. ISSN 0041-0101. PMID 32585218.
Further reading edit
- Fuentes, Rogemif Daniel; Corrales Greivin (2016). "New distribution record and reproductive data for the Chocoan Bushmaster, Lachesis acrochorda (Serpentes: Viperidae), in Panama". Mesoamerican Herpetology 3 (1): 115–127. (in English, with an abstract in Spanish).
- Garcia E (1896). Los Ofidios Venenosos del Cauca: Métodos empíricos y racionales empleados contra los accidentes producidos por la mordedura de esos reptiles. Cali: Librería Colombiana. xv + 102 pp. (Bothrops acrochordus, new species, pp. 23–25 + color plate of head). (in Spanish).
- Hohmeister, Andreas (2004). "Der zentralamerikanische Buschmeister (Lachesis stenophrys Cope 1876) im Terrarium ". Reptilia (Münster) 9 (50): 56–62. (in German).
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