Bothrops jararaca

Identification

Family: Viperidae

Scientific Names:
Bothrops leucostigma, B. taeniatus, B. tessellatus (in part), Cophias jajaraca, C. jararaca, C. jararakka, Craspedocephalus brasiliensis, Crotalus craspedocephalus brasiliensis, Lachesis lanceolatus (in part), Trigonocephalus jararaca

Common Names:
Engl.: jararaca, Argentina: yararaca, yararaca perezosa,
Brazil: caissaca, jaraca, jararaca, jararaca-da-matta-virgem, jararaca-do-rabo-branco, jararaca-do-campo, jararaca-do-cerrado, jararaca-dormideira, jararaca-dominhoca, jararaca-preguicosa, malha-de-sapo, Paraguay: yarara

Description
Medium-sized, relatively slender, terrestrial pitviper, adults usually 80-160 cm long. Background color can vary from yellow or tan to nearly maroon (overall, usually darker at both ends of the body); the body pattern is extremely variable w/ irregular sizes & shapes of dark blotches (usually edged w/ a thin line of lighter or white scales). Belly nearly always lighter than dorsum.

Habitat
Most common in open regions near vegetation cover at low to intermediate elevations. Occupies a diversity of habitats: tropical deciduous (broadleaf) forests and semitropical up land forests in southern Brazil, northeastern Argentina & northeastern Paraguay.

Activity and Behavior
Terrestrial & probably mainly nocturnal; locally abundant in many parts of its range.

Venom Characteristics
Specific data are lacking; reportedly an important cause of snakebite in many parts of its range. Bothrops venom primarily is hemotoxic & cytotoxic; envenomation can result in systemic internal bleeding and local tissue destruction.