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Scientific name: Bothrops jararaca
Biology
Very fast and agressive animal. In Brazil, more than 80% of venomous
snakebites are caused by Bothrops and about 10% by Crotalus.
The most frequently attacked age bracket
is that of people in their twenties, and the most frequently
bitten anatomical regions is the lower limbs (77.7%), principally
the feet (34.6%).
Bothrops jararaca is the most known specie of Bothrops, it´s
very danger, but runs away when feels somebody around. |
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They are from 120-130cm long.
Bothrops jararaca has a skin design which can camouflate them very
well, turning the visualization very difficult.
View larger image
Reproduction
Viviparous.
The eggs are kept with the mother. The embryo development occurs
inside the mother's body, where each one is covered by a membrane.
When they are ready to eclode, the female gives birth to totally
developed cubs, 18 in average.
Venom
Proteolitic
Anti-clotting
It has peptides which are the most potent natural inhibitors of
the angiotensin-converting enzyme, having high capacity of controlling
blood pressure
 History
of the Design of Captopril
Feeding
Small rodents and birds
Depending on the specie, the diet changes during its development
(ontogenetic variation) : when they are youth, their food preferences
are different from when they're adults.
The majority moves looking for their preys (active hunting), Others
wait for the approximation of their preys to catch them and, after
that, they inoculate poison through the leap.
There are even some that use capturing techniques to attract the
prey and then kill it: it's called "caudal luring",
where the serpent moves the extremity of the tail which is brighter
than the rest of the body, and it looks like an insect larva
attracting, then, amphibious and lizards.
This technique is used by young serpents from the species Jararaca.
After the capture of food, the serpents start to swallow their
hunt slowly, generally starting from the head and then the rest
of the body.
Their skulls let a big mouth opening and their mandibles are connected
by a flexible ligament.
This adaptations and the lack of external bone make their ribs
floating, making the ingestion of big preys easier, even if they're
three times their own diameter.
Habitat
Forest, savannah
They have crepuscular habits and can climb bushes
Distribution View
Map
South América
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