Saint Lucia lancehead

The Saint Lucia lancehead or Saint Lucia pit viper (Bothrops caribbaeus) is a species of venomous snake which is endemic to the West Indies.[1]

Saint Lucia lancehead
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Bothrops
Species:
B. caribbaeus
Binomial name
Bothrops caribbaeus
(Garman, 1887)
Synonyms
  • Coluber lanceolatus
    Lacépède, 1789 (part)
  • Trigonocephalus caribbaeus Garman, 1887
  • Bothrops caribbeus
    – Lazell, 1964
  • Bothrops lanceolatus caribbaeus
    – Sandner-Montilla, 1990
  • Bothrops caribbaea
    – Schwartz & Henderson, 1991

Geographic range and description

It is found only on the island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles.[1] The snake is threatened and today limited to two areas of the island.[2] The only location outside of St. Lucia where these snakes are allowed to be kept is the Kentucky Reptile Zoo.[3]

The Saint Lucia lancehead can reach a total length in excess of 1.3 m (4.3 ft).[1] It is gray to gray-brown, with an irregular temporal stripe, and gray or brown markings that are distinct mid-dorsally and fade towards its sides.[1]

Venom

Accidents with this pit viper are extremely rare, with only one report, the victim had local pain and edema, after a week left facial hemiplegia with facial paralysis and local bleeding, extensive swelling, edema in the abdomen and chest, necrosis and cerebral ischemia.[4]

References
  1. Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S. (1999), Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean, Macmillan Education Ltd., pp. 95–96, ISBN 0-333-69141-5.
  2. "Saving the snakes of St Lucia", The Guardian Weekly, February 5, 2012, retrieved February 17, 2012.
  3. http://www.wymt.com/content/news/Kentucky-Reptile-Zoo-breeds-rare-island-viper-390973861.html
  4. Luna, K. P. O.; da Silva, M. B.; Pereira, V. R. A. (2011). "Clinical and immunological aspects of envenomations by Bothrops snakes". Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases. 17 (2): 130–141. doi:10.1590/S1678-91992011000200003. ISSN 1678-9199.

Further reading
  • Garman, S. 1887. On West Indian Reptiles in the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy, at Cambridge, Mass.
    Proc. American Philos. Soc. Philadelphia 24: 278–286. ("Trigonocephalus caribbæus, sp n.", p. 285.)
  • Breach, K. (2009). Quantifying the Interactions Between Humans and Endemic Pit vipers (Bothrops caribbaeus) in Saint Lucia (MSc thesis, Imperial College London). http://www.iccs.org.uk/wp-content/thesis/consci/2009/Breach.docx


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