A Gaboon Viper
Vipers are snakes belonging to the family Viperidae, made of hundreds of species that can be found in all but the coldest climates. The viper is native to every continent except for Australia and Antarctica. The name comes from the Latin words “vivo” and “pario,” together meaning “live birth.” There are a few species who lay eggs, but vipers primarily give birth to live babies.
What unique features do these reptiles have?
Vipers have a wide head and long, hollow fangs that are attached to rotating joint bones called “maxilla.” Normally, the fangs are folded into membrane sheaths when the mouth is closed. When attacking, the maxilla fold the fangs down, and the mouth can open almost 180 degrees. When making a defensive strike, the snake merely stabs its adversary with the fangs and pulls back. However, when hunting prey, this stabbing is followed by a strong bite, pushing the fangs in further. While most poisonous reptiles release all of their venom at once, vipers can inject a precisely-controlled dose into its victim. The amount of venom injected varies depending on threat level, size of the victim, and whether the victim is held or let go by the snake.
Most species have “keeled” scales, with a thick ridge running through the middle of each plate. While most snakes use smooth keeled scales for traction, vipers have serrated edges on their ridges. When threatened, the snake can rub these scales together to make a loud scratching sound, in much the same way a cricket rubs its legs together to chirp.
The Viperidae Family can be divided into three major subfamilies:
Crotalinae subfamily
Common name: Pit Viper
This is the largest subfamily, made up of 151 species including rattlesnakes. The name comes from the snake’s pits, a pair of heat sensitive organs between the nostrils and the eyes of these snakes. Found across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, these reptiles mostly prefer to stay in cool areas, using ambush techniques to hunt at night.
Causinae subfamily
Common name: Night Adder
Despite their name, these snakes will hunt day or night. They have venom glands that can be as long as three inches (10 cm) running down the neck. The Night Adder rarely uses venom, preferring to hunt by biting and swallowing its prey, typically frogs, whole. When prey is abundant, the Adder has been known to eat so much it is physically unable to swallow. This subfamily is only found in sub-Saharan Africa.
Azemiopinae subfamily
Common name: Fea’s Viper
The Azemiops feae is the only species known in this subfamily, and it’s the only viper without keeled scales. When threatened, it puffs out its jaws and flattens its body against the ground to make it look larger. The snake can be found in the mountains of Vietnam, China, Tibet and Myanmar.
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