Viperidae
Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper
VenomousTrimeresurus medoensis
The Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper (Trimeresurus medoensis) is a venomous snake in the Viperidae family, recorded in 3 countries.
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 Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper
Trimeresurus medoensis, commonly named the Motuo bamboo pitviper, is a venomous pitviper species endemic to India, Burma, and Tibet. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Description
Maximum total length for males is 671 mm (26.4 in); for females, 650 mm (26 in). Maximum tail length for males is 125 mm (4.9 in); for females, 115 mm (4.5 in).
The hemipenes are short, thick, and spinose.
Scalation: dorsal scales in 17 longitudinal rows at midbody, of which rows 7-11 are slightly keeled. There are 8 upper labials, of which the first are separated from the nasal scales by a distinct suture. The ventrals number less than 150.
Color pattern: green or bluish green above, yellowish white below, the two separated by a bright bicolored red (below) and white (above) ventrolateral stripe (in both males and females), which occupies the whole of the outermost scale row and a portion of the second row.
Geographic range
Found in North-Eastern India; northern Burma (Myanmar); and southeastern Xizang (Tibet), China. The type locality listed is "near A-ni Bridge, Medo Xian, Xizang [Tibet], alt. 1,200 m [3,900 ft]" [Autonomous Region, China].
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper
- Is the Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper venomous?
- Yes. The Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper (Trimeresurus medoensis) 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 Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper 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 Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper live?
- The Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper has verified records in 3 countries, including India, China, Myanmar. See the distribution section below for its full range.
If you are bitten by the Green Bamboo Leaf Pit Viper
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
Chinese Green Tree ViperTrimeresurus stejnegeri
White-lipped Pit ViperTrimeresurus albolabris
Kramer's Pit ViperTrimeresurus macrops
Mangrove ViperTrimeresurus purpureomaculatus
Sabah Bamboo PitviperTrimeresurus sabahi
White-lipped Island PitviperTrimeresurus insularis
Lanna Green PitviperTrimeresurus lanna
Vogel’s Pit ViperTrimeresurus vogeli
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
- Trimeresurus
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Trimeresurus medoensis
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.