This article is about the viper species "common puff adder", native to Africa. For the viper subfamily commonly known as "puff-adders", see
Bitis. For the non-venomous snake native to North America, colloquially known as "puff adder", see
Heterodon. For the Marvel Comics character, see
Puff Adder (character).
| Puff adder |
|
|
|
| Scientific classification |
| Domain: |
Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: |
Animalia |
| Phylum: |
Chordata |
| Class: |
Reptilia |
| Order: |
Squamata |
| Suborder: |
Serpentes |
| Family: |
Viperidae |
| Genus: |
Bitis |
| Species: |
B. arietans |
| Binomial name |
Bitis arietans
|
|
|
native range |
| Synonyms |
- Cobra lachesis Laurenti, 1768
- Cobra clotho Laurenti, 1768
- Coluber lachesis — Gmelin, 1788
- Coluber clotho — Gmelin, 1788
- Coluber bitin Bonnaterre, 1790
- Coluber intumescens
Donndorff, 1798
- Vipera severa
Latreille In Sonnini & Latreille, 1801
- Vipera (Echidna) arietans
Merrem, 1820
- Vipera inflata Burchell, 1822
- Echidna arietans — Wagler, 1828
- Vipera brachyura Cuvier, 1829
- Vipera arietans — Schlegel, 1837
- Clotho (Bitis) arietans — Gray, 1842
- Clotho (Bitis) lateristriga Gray, 1842
- Echidna arietans — A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854
- Bitis arietans — Günther, 1858
- Bitis arietans — Boulenger, 1896
- Cobra lachesis — Mertens, 1937
- Bitis lachesis — Mertens, 1938
- Bitis lachesis lachesis
— de Witte, 1953
- Bitis arietans arietans
— Loveridge, 1953
- Bitis arietans peghullae
Steward, 1973
- Bitis arietans — Golay et al., 1993
- Vipera (Clotho) arietans
— Herprint Int'l, 1994
- Bitis arietans
— Spawls & Branch, 1995
|
The puff adder (Bitis arietans) is a highly venomous viper species found in savannahs and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rainforest regions. It is responsible for causing the most snakebite fatalities in Africa owing to various factors, such as its wide distribution, frequent occurrence in highly populated regions, and aggressive disposition. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
The species is commonly known as the puff adder, African puff adder, or common puff adder.