Common names: Usambara bush viper,Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. . horned bush viper, eyelash bush viper, more.
Atheris ceratophora is a venomous viper species endemic to a few mountain ranges in Tanzania. This used to be the only horned, arboreal viper known from Africa, until the discovery in 2011 of Atheris matildae, also found in Tanzania. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Description It grows to a maximum total length (body + tail) of . Females are slightly larger than males. The maximum total length for a male is reported to be , the tail of which measured .Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. .
Easily recognized by a set of 3-5 horn-like superciliary scales above each eye. The rostral scale is more than twice as broad as high. There are 9 upper labials. The first 3 lower labials on each side are in contact with the one pair of chin shields.
Midbody, the dorsal scales number 21-25. The ventral scale count is 142-152. There are 41-56 subcaudals.
The color pattern consists of a yellowish-green, olive, gray or black ground color. This may or may not be overlaid by variable markings, sometimes in the form of irregular black spots or cross-bars that may be lined with yellow or white spots. The belly is dirty orange to almost black in color, sometimes with dark spots.
Common names Usambara bush viper, horned bush viper, eyelash bush viper, Usambara mountain bush viper, horned tree viper, Usambara tree viper.Brown JH. 1973. Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. .
Geographic range It is found in the Usambara and Uzungwe Mountains in Tanzania. It is probably also found in the Uluguru Mountains.
The type locality is "Usambara" Mountains [Tanzania].
Habitat Found in grass and low bushes about above the ground in woodlands and forests at altitudes of .
Behavior Like other Atheris species, it is probably active mainly at night, or at dawn or dusk.
Gallery
References
Further reading Boulenger GA. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the...Viperidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers.) xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.- XXV. (Atheris ceratophorus, p. 510.) Werner F. 1895. Ueber einige Reptilien aus Usambara (Deutsch-Ostafrika). Zoologisch-Botanische Gesellschaft in Wien 45: 190-194. ("Atheris ceratophora n. sp.", p. 194 + Plate V, Figures 1a-1e.)
External links
Atheris ceratophora at Corallus.com. Accessed 8 October 2006. Atheris ceratophora at Baumpython.com. Accessed 8 October 2006.