Proatheris

Proatheris is a monotypic genus in the viper family, Viperidae, meaning it currently holds just one recognized species, the lowland swamp viper (Proatheris superciliaris). It belongs to the same broad group of true vipers that includes the puff adders and the African bush vipers, and it sits taxonomically close to those relatives, but it occupies its own genus because of a distinct combination of body form and ecology. Like all vipers, it has the hinged, hollow front fangs that fold against the roof of the mouth and swing forward to strike, the defining trait that separates vipers from most other snakes.

The lowland swamp viper is a small, fairly slender species found in southeastern Africa, in the lowlands around Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. As its name suggests, it favors damp habitats: floodplains, marsh margins, swamp grasslands, and low wet meadows rather than dry bush or forest. It is recognizable in general terms as a modestly sized viper with a row of dark, often eye-spot-like blotches running down the back over a paler ground color, and the broad, somewhat triangular head typical of vipers. It feeds on small prey such as amphibians and small mammals, and like many vipers it gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs.

This is a venomous snake, and it should be treated as potentially dangerous. Detailed medical data on bites from this species is limited, which is itself a reason for caution rather than confidence. Never handle a wild venomous snake and never assume a bite is harmless. If anyone is bitten, keep them calm and still, remove rings and tight items, and get to emergency medical care immediately. In the United States call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, and elsewhere contact local emergency services. The safest approach with any swamp viper, as with all vipers, is to give it distance and leave it alone.