Bothrops venezuelensis

Bothrops venezuelensis, or the Venezuelan lancehead, is a species of venomous snake in the family Viperidae.[1] It is endemic to South America.[2]

Venezuelan lancehead
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Bothrops
Species:
B. venezuelensis
Binomial name
Bothrops venezuelensis
Sandner-Montilla, 1952

Toxicology

edit

There is not much known about the dangerousness of the venom to humans, but potentially lethal envenoming is possible. The venom of B. venezuelensis contains procoagulants,[3] possibly also myotoxins and cytotoxic substances.[4] This species is associated with a high snakebite-related morbidity and mortality in Venezuela, there's a report of a patient bitten by a juvenile, he had local swelling, severe pain, endothelial damage, excessive fibrinolysis, and incoagulable blood within 1.5 hours after the bite. He also had AKI with macroscopic hematuria, fluid overload resulted in pulmonary edema, requiring intermittent ventilation and diuretic treatment with furosemide.[5]

Geographic range

edit

It is found in Colombia and northern Venezuela.

The type locality is " 'Boca de Tigre', Serranía de El Avila, Distrito Federal, Venezuela ".[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. ^ "Bothrops". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 3 November 2006.
  3. ^ DocCheck Flexikon: Bothrops venezuelensis (German)
  4. ^ WCH Clinical Toxinology Resources: Bothrops venezuelensis
  5. ^ Fuchs, Joan; Faber, Katrin; Tuchscherer, Daniel T.; Tsakiris, Dimitrios A.; Weiler, Stefan; Hofer, Katharina E. (June 2020). "Bite by a juvenile Bothrops venezuelensis (Venezuelan lancehead) resulting in severe envenomation: A case report". Toxicon. 180: 39–42. Bibcode:2020Txcn..180...39F. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.04.002. ISSN 1879-3150. PMID 32289355. S2CID 215774082.
  6. ^ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading

edit
  • Sandner-Montilla, Fernando. 1952. Serpientes Bothrops de Venezuela. Monografias Cientificas del Instituto de Terapeutica Experimental de los Laboratorios "Veros" LTDA. 9 (21): 5 pp. (unnumbered).
edit

  Media related to Bothrops venezuelensis at Wikimedia Commons