Viperidae
Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper
VenomousGarthius chaseni
2 photographs of the Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper. (c) vrxz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA).
The Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper (Garthius chaseni) is a venomous snake in the Viperidae family, recorded in 1 country.
If you are bitten
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.
- Family
- Viperidae
- Danger
- high
About the Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper
Garthius chaseni, commonly known as Chasen's mountain pit viper, Chasen's tree viper, and the Kinabalu brown pit viper, is a species of pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the island of Borneo in Malaysia. No subspecies are currently recognized. It is monotypic in the genus Garthius.
Etymology
The generic name, Garthius, is in honor of British herpetologist Garth Underwood.
The specific name, chaseni, is in honor of Frederick Nutter Chasen, who in 1931 was Curator of the Raffles Museum, Singapore.
Description
G. chaseni is heavy-bodied, and may attain 65 cm (25+1⁄2 in) SVL (snout–vent length). Dorsally, it has a dark tan or reddish brown ground color, overlaid by dark brown crossbands, which are broken and alternating on the front part of the body, becoming regular on the posterior part. Ventrally, it is yellow and gray. It has two rows of small scales between the upper labials and the eye.
Scalation includes: 19, 17, or 15 rows of dorsal scales at midbody; 130–143 ventral scales; 20–30 paired subcaudal scales; and 6 supralabial scales with the third being the highest.
Geographic range
G. chaseni is only found on the island of Borneo, in northern Sabah (Malaysia) in the region of Mount Kinabalu. The type locality given is "Kiau" (at the foot of Mt. Kinabalu, northern Borneo, ca. 915 m [3,000 feet]). The known range is within the Crocker Range and Kinabalu National Parks.
Habitat
G. chaseni is found in submontane forests, living in leaf litter on the forest floor at elevations between 915 and 1,550 m (3,002 and 5,085 ft) above sea level.
Behavior
G. chaseni is terrestrial and mainly nocturnal.
Reproduction
G. chaseni is viviparous.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper
- Is the Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper venomous?
- Yes. The Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper (Garthius chaseni) 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 Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Chasen’s Mountain 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 Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper live?
- The Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper has verified records in 1 country, including Malaysia. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- Why is it called the Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper?
- The generic name, Garthius, is in honor of British herpetologist Garth Underwood. The specific name, chaseni, is in honor of Frederick Nutter Chasen, who in 1931 was Curator of the Raffles Museum, Singapore.
If you are bitten by the Chasen’s Mountain Pitviper
Do
- Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
- Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
- Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
- Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
- Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
- Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
Do not
- Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
- Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
- Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
- Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.
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
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
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.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.