Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper

About the Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper

Is the Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper venomous?

Yes. The Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper (Bothrocophias hyoprora) is venomous and belongs to the Viperidae family (viper). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.

Is the Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.

Is the Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper dangerous?

This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.

Where does the Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper live?

The Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper has verified records in 4 countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru. See the distribution section below for its full range.

If you are bitten by the Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper

First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.

Where it is found

More Viperidae snakes

• 
  Small-eyed Toad-headed Pitviper
  Bothrocophias microphthalmus
• 
  Ecuadorian Toadheaded Pitviper
  Bothrocophias campbelli
• 
  Andean Lancehead
  Bothrocophias andianus
• 
  Lojan Lancehead
  Bothrocophias lojanus
• 
  Chocoan Toadheaded Pitviper
  Bothrocophias myersi
• 
  Bothrocophias tulitoi
  Bothrocophias tulitoi
• 
  Bothrocophias myrringae
  Bothrocophias myrringae
• 
  Colombian Toadheaded Pitviper
  Bothrocophias colombianus

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards

Squamata

FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits

Viperidae

GenusA close-knit group of very similar species

Bothrocophias

SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name

Bothrocophias hyoprora

Keep learning

• Are Snakes Dangerous? The Real Risk, in PerspectiveMost snakes are harmless and avoid people. Here is the honest picture of snakebite risk worldwide and how to lower your own.
• Snakebite First Aid: What to Do (and What Never to Do)A clear, CDC-based guide to snakebite first aid: the steps that help, the popular myths that hurt, and how to tell a serious bite from a minor one.
• Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
• What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.