Saint Lucia lancehead

Saint Lucia lancehead
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Crotalinae
Genus: Bothrops
Species: B. caribbaeus
Binomial name
Bothrops caribbaeus
(Garman, 1887)
Synonyms
  • Coluber lanceolatus
    Lacépède, 1789 (part)
  • Trigonocephalus caribbaeus Garman, 1887
  • Bothrops caribbeus
    – Lazell, 1964
  • Bothrops lanceolatus caribbaeus
    – Sandner-Montilla, 1990
  • Bothrops caribbaea
    – Schwartz & Henderson, 1991

The Saint Lucia lancehead or Saint Lucia pit viper (Bothrops caribbaeus) is a species of venomous snake which is endemic to the West Indies.[1]

Geographic range

It is found only on the island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles.[1]

8/23/16 - Over the weekend, 12 St. Lucia Lancehead Vipers were born at the Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade.

St. Lucia Lancehead Vipers are native only to the small Caribbean island of St. Lucia. The Kentucky Reptile Zoo is the only facility outside of St. Lucia to be allowed to house these rare island snakes. [2]

Description

It can reach a total length in excess of 1.3 m (4.3 ft).[1] It is gray to gray-brown, with an irregular temporal stripe, and gray or brown markings that are distinct mid-dorsally and fade towards its sides.[1]

Conservation status

The snake is threatened and today limited to two areas of the island.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S. (1999), Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean, Macmillan Education Ltd., pp. 95–96, ISBN 0-333-69141-5.
  2. ↑ http://www.wymt.com/content/news/Kentucky-Reptile-Zoo-breeds-rare-island-viper-390973861.html
  3. ↑ "Saving the snakes of St Lucia", The Guardian Weekly, February 5, 2012, retrieved February 17, 2012.

Further reading

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