Viperidae
Plain Mountain Adder
VenomousBitis inornata
The Plain Mountain Adder (Bitis inornata) is a venomous snake in the Viperidae family.
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 Plain Mountain Adder
Bitis inornata is a venomous viper species found only in Cape Province, South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Common names
Common names for this species include plain mountain adder, hornless adder, and Cape puff adder.
Description
Adults of Bitis inornata average 25–40 cm (9.8–15.7 in) in total length (including tail), with a maximum recorded total length of 45 cm (18 in).
Geographic range
Bitis inornata is endemic to Cape Province, South Africa.
An isolated population exists on the Sneeuberg, eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
The type locality is listed as "Sneeuwbergen, or Snow Mountains, ... immediately behind the village of Graaff Raynet" (Eastern Cape Province, South Africa).
Spawls and Branch (1995) described it as known only from two isolated populations in southern Cape Province in South Africa: the first in the east, limited to the montane grassland of the Sneeuberge, from north of Graaff-Reinet to Cradock. A second population was discovered relatively recently on the upper slopes of the Cederberg in the west.
Conservation status
The species Bitis inornata is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Plain Mountain Adder
- Is the Plain Mountain Adder venomous?
- Yes. The Plain Mountain Adder (Bitis inornata) 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 Plain Mountain Adder poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Plain Mountain Adder is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Plain Mountain Adder 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.
- Why is it called the Plain Mountain Adder?
- Common names for this species include plain mountain adder, hornless adder, and Cape puff adder.
If you are bitten by the Plain Mountain Adder
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.
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.