[2], In only a few detailed reports of human envenomation, massive swelling, which may lead to necrosis, had been described. "Is sperm really so cheap? Reptiles -- Their Latin Names Explained. Firefighter Dies After Bite From Pet Snake, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Venom Response Unit, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bitis_nasicornis&oldid=974498951, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 23 August 2020, at 11:56. In addition to being able to deliver dry bites, vipers can inject larger quantities of venom into larger prey targets, and smaller amounts into small prey. [6] In severe cases, cardiovascular failure may occur. As a comparison, in one test the minimum lethal dose of venom for a guinea pig was 40–67 mg, but only 1.7 mg was necessary when Daboia russelii venom was used. In northern Sweden hibernation lasts 8–9 months. 1825. However, this rule does not always apply; some elapid bites include proteolytic symptoms typical of viperid bites, while some viperid bites produce neurotoxic symptoms. [6] The specific name, berus, is New Latin and was at one time used to refer to a snake, possibly the grass snake, Natrix natrix.[7]. [2] The neck is thin. Once they reach about 30 cm (0.98 ft) in length, their diet begins to resemble that of the adults. de Trattnern, Wien. Small doses of the snake's primarily hemotoxic venom can be deadly. Compared to many other snakes, vipers often appear rather sluggish. (2003) reported the subcaudals number 16–32, with males having a higher count (25–30) than females (16–19). [2] These are so rough and heavily keeled that they sometimes inflict cuts on handlers when the snakes struggle.
[1], "Viper" redirects here. In defensive bites, the amount of venom injected may be determined by the size or species of the predator (or antagonist), as well as the assessed level of threat, although larger assailants and higher threat levels may not necessarily lead to larger amounts of venom being injected. This is in contrast to elapid venoms that generally contain [3] Brown (1973) gives a higher subcutaneous LD50 range of 1.0–4.0 mg/kg. Bitis nasicornis has both neurotoxic, as well as hemotoxic venom, as do most other venomous snakes. These pits have the ability to detect thermal radiation emitted by warm-blooded animals, helping them better understand their environment. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999.
It is one of only three snake species native to Britain.
[1], The type locality is listed only as "interior parts of Africa. [6] An 82-year-old woman died following a bite in Germany in 2004, although it is not clear whether her death was due to the effect of the venom.