Bothrocophias is a genus of pit vipers in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae, known by the common name toadheaded pit vipers. The genus is endemic to South America.
Taxonomy Bothrocophias is a relatively recently identified genus that consists of fourBothrocophias . ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2010 Annual Checklist. Consulted: 2010-08-15. to nine species, most of which were traditionally placed in Bothrops.
Oviparity Recent evidence published by Campbell and Lamar (1989, 2004) suggests that Bothrocophias colombianus may lay eggs rather than give birth to live young. This would make it almost unique among New World pitvipers (but not Asian species). The only other American pitvipers known to lay eggs are the four species of bushmaster (Lachesis).
Species The following nine species are recognized as being valid. +ImageSpeciesCommon nameGeographic rangeBothrocophias andianusBolivia and PeruBothrocophias campbelli Campbell's toadheaded viper the Ecuadorian toadheaded pitviper víbora boca de sapoEcuadorBothrocophias colombianusColombian toad-headed pitviperColombiaBothrocophias hyoproraAmazonian toad-headed pitviperEcuador, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and BoliviaBothrocophias lojanusLojan lancehead macanchi macauchoEcuador, PeruBothrocophias microphthalmussmall-eyed toad-headed pit viperEcuador, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and BrazilBothrocophias myersiMyers toadheaded pitviperColombiaBothrocophias myrringae High-Andean Toad-Headed PitviperColombiaBothrocophias tulitoiColombia Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Bothrocophias.
References
Further reading
Campbell JA, Lamar WW (1989). The Venomous Reptiles of Latin America. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Associates. 440 pp. . Gutberlet RL, Campbell JA (2001). "Generic Recognition for a Neglected Lineage of South Amnerican Pitvipers (Squamata: Viperidae: Crotalinae), with the Description of a New Species from the Colombian Chocó ". American Museum Novitates (3316): 1–15. (Bothrocophias, new genus, p. 4). (Bothrocophias myersi, new species, p. 7).