In South America these vipers are typically found west and north of the Andes, though there are exceptions, most notably in Venezuela where it can be found in the San Cristobal and Barquiseto Depressions in the Southeast region of
In South America these vipers are typically found west and north of the Andes, though there are exceptions, most notably in Venezuela where it can be found in the San Cristobal and Barquiseto Depressions in the Southeast region of the country. Bothrops atrox in central northern Columbia and certain areas of Venezuela. Bothrops atrox typically ranges further south in the Amazonian countries, but due to its similar appearance and overlapping distribution of the snakes are often mistaken for one another. To further confusion, was once considered a subspecies of B. atrox. (Campbell and Lamar, 2004; Sasa, et al., 2009)is found on the Pacfic coastal plains and Andes Pacific versant from Columbia to as far south as the border of Peru and Ecuador. These snakes are also found in Northern Peru near the Pacific coast. In Columbia their range extends from the Pacific to the Carribean coastal plain as well as deeper within the country in the valleys of the Andes. lives in sympatry with
Members of the genus Bothrops are distinguished by their broad, flattened heads which are set apart from the rest of the body. Their eye lids (canthus) are very distinct. In drier regions, terciopelos have more scales to prevent water loss. varies greatly phenotypically across its geographic range. This has led to the confusion between it and other species, most notably Bothrops atrox, which is similar in color but often contains yellow or rust like tones and rectangular or trapezoidal blotches. The head of is medium to dark brown or even black. It may have occipital botches or streaks that range from indistinct to distinct, but usually are absent. The underside is most often pale yellow. Individuals may weigh up to 6 kg and typically measure 1.2 to 1.8 m in length. (Campbell and Lamar, 2004; O'Shea, 2005; Saldarriaga-Córdoba, et al., 2009; United States Navy, 1962)
Like most other Bothrops, has different patterns and colors on its dorsal and ventral sides and also exhibits a postorbital stripe. The ventral side is yellow, cream, or a whitish gray, with dark blotches (mottling) that increases in frequency towards the posterior end. Ventrolaterally, the viper has alternating dark gray scales which are paler towards the medial line. Dorsally, the viper is olive, gray, brown, grayish brown, tan or at times nearly black. It has dark triangles with pale edges laterally, which range in number from 18 to 25. Apices either alternate or are reflective of each other over the middorsal line. In the interspaces, there are dark, paravertebral blotches. An individual may have a yellow zig-zag shaped line on each side of the body. (Campbell and Lamar, 2004)
Terciopelos exhibit great sexual dimorphism. From birth, males are notably smaller in size than females. Females have thick, heavy bodies and can reach up to 10 times the size of males. Males have 161 to 216 ventral scales and 57 to 81 subcaudals. Females have 187 to 240 ventrals and 46 to 70 subcaudals. Juvenile females have a brown tail tip while males have a yellow tail tip. Prior to sexual maturation, males completely lose their yellow tip. (Campbell and Lamar, 2004; Sasa, et al., 2009)
Females build up fat stores which lead to a release in hormones that stimulate ovulation. Females gestate for 6 to 8 months before giving birth to live young. There is no parental care.
Recapture of the species is uncommon, so longevity in the wild is unknown. However, it is estimated that lifespan in the wild is similar to that in captivity, which ranges from 15 to 21 years based on zoo-keeping records. (Bowler, 1977; Sasa, et al., 2009)
Like much of Bothrops, is a nocturnal, solitary species. Activity varies seasonally, with becoming less active in colder and dryer months. Terciopelos are most often found near river and stream banks, basking in the sun during the day and under forest cover ready to ambush during the night. The viper also exhibits an S-coiled defense display when threatened by another species. Juveniles are known to climb trees and also to exhibit caudal luring, a use of