Meeting the urutu pit viper
Order Squamata
Family Viperidae
In recent times the urutu pit viper is the most encountered viper of all snakes of the reserve. Respect must be shown since its bite is dangerous. Though it is not aggressive, it will attack if it feels threatened. When it is lying in the grasses it may pass unnoticed very easily. In a moment of distraction it may be bothered or stepped on by accident. So, you must not leave the paths and must always watch out your step. Be careful with small vipers since they can also cause damage. They already have venom to inoculate.
If one should bump into a viper crossing or coiled at the edge of the path, let passers by know about it and inform the reserve personnel about the location of the individual. In case of a bite, stay quiet, inform the reserve personnel so that the necessary actions are taken to take the patient to a hospital. The venom is very potent and has hemolytic and necrotizing effect. It is a must to have it examined
If one should bump into a viper crossing or coiled at the edge of the path, let passers by know about it and inform the reserve personnel about the location of the individual. In case of a bite, stay quiet, inform the reserve personnel so that the necessary actions are taken to take the patient to a hospital. The venom is very potent and has hemolytic and necrotizing effect. It is a must to have it examined
It is easily identified since there are no other Bothrops in this area. It shows a peculiar pattern, an inverted C which repeats all along its back. Ventrally white with longitudinal dark gular stripes and a medium black stripe on the neck and the anterior part of the body, turning into two parallel series of very dark square dots.
12-10-20 © Javier Guillermo González
09-07-16 © Pablo Serur
25-05-19 © Javier Guillermo González
21-04-16 © Mario Martín Chimento
The head is triangular and the pupil, elliptical, typical of venemous snakes.
04-10-20 © Milena LLopis
24-06-19 © J. Simón Tagtachian
It inoculates the venom though the fangs which are mobile. With the mouth shut they are folded over the roof and when the mouth is opened they straighten rapidly. The left photo of a dead speciment shows the fangs. The scales are keeled.
02-06-12 © Pablo Mosto
07-10-20 © Milena LLopis
It is terrestrial. It is normally found crossing the roads or at the edge of them. It was recorded coiled in a tree on two occasions. We note that when the ponds are dry, the number of records of this viper decreases.
08-05-16 © Claudia Vilma Mon
08-05-16 © Claudia Vilma Mon
09-07-16 © Pablo Serur
Like all living beings the urutu pit viper has sensorial receptors which translate all the stimuli from the environment and thus can thrive, feed and reproduce. These receptors are housed in organs with specialized cells through which they perceive the variations of the surroundings. For example, the loreal pits which are between the nostrils and the eye house the termoreceptos which capture the presence of objects with a temperature barely above the ambient temperatura at a distance of de 30 cm. The chimiorreceptors are associated to what is normally called the sense of smell. The urutu pit viper smells in two different ways. One similar to our nose but with the nostrils located in the snout. But they also smell with the tongue just like lizards do. By taking the tongue out they lick the air and transport ambient substances into the mouth. On the roof of the mouth there are two orifices known as Jacobson's organs. Somehow not yet known these chemical compounds reach these organs, attach to receptor molecules and the messages are sent to the cerebelum, where they are decodified as a determined smell.
04-05-19 © Javier Guillermo González
11-10-20 © Milena LLopis
Size and colour evidence the difference between male and female. The females are bigger than the males and the female's colour is darker and more opaque. Anyway, only those with an expert eye con determine the sex.<br /> When the females are receptive they send pheromones which are captured by the male. After a courtship display if the female accepts the male, the cloacae of both will join and the male will evert its penes for penetration. Just like lizards, these vipers have one penis divided into two hemipenis. Each hemipenis produces its own sperm provision coming from its testes, which allows the male to copulate simultaneously or immediately after.
11-10-20 © Guillermo Costa
07-10-20 © J. Simón Tagtachian
The urutu pit viper is ovoviviparous. The chicks develop inside the body of the femlae and are born alive. Gestation period La yarará grande es ovovivípara. Las crias se desarrollan dentro del cuerpo de la hembra y nacen vivas. La gestación es de 170 días. Pare alrededor de 20 viboreznos en diciembre-enero.
17-03-18 © Héctor Horacio García
17-03-18 © Héctor Horacio García
This is the smallest individual we have registered. The coin serves as a reference. The adult viper has few predators. The chicks are predated upon by raptors and tegus.