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Largest Viper??
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by trueviper_uk on March 18, 2007
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Which is actualy officialy THE largest viper in the world?
I've read many times that it's the Gaboon Viper of Africa but surely its beaten to the post by the South-American Bushmaster which can attain a total length of 14' ?
Do they mean the Gaboon is the largest True-Viper or are they going by weight and not length?
Hope you can clear this up for me,
Regards,
Mark.
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RE: Largest Viper??
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by GREGLONGHURST on March 19, 2007
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You would have to define "largest" before you could get the real answer. The Gaboon is the heaviest, though not the longest. The Bushmaster is the longest, though not the heaviest.
~~Greg~~
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RE: Largest Viper??
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by Atrox788 on March 19, 2007
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You also have to distinguish between pitvipers and vipers. Gaboons are the largest Vipers period. Bushmasters are the longest pitvipers followed by B.asper and Eastern diamondbacks. Weight wise I would imagine Eastern Diamondbacks and maybe even some huge cottonmouths. Fer de Lance and bushmasters, though extreamly long are usualy much more slender.
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RE: Largest Viper??
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by Rob_Carmichael on March 19, 2007
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This is similar to the question I posed a while back "what is the smallest species of rattlesnakes" and got a handful of different answers. And, no one answer I received was either right or wrong.
I work with both gaboons and bushmasters (and many others) and a 8-9 foot bushmaster has incredible bulk and girth; it just looks leaner than a gaboon due to its much longer overall length. A large adult gaboon is certainly a massive animal and their gape is equally impressive. A large bushmaster evokes the highest degree of respect in terms of handling/management due to their deadly venom, long strike abilities (they are slow to anger but once PO's, are one of the most formidable herps on earth), and complex behaviors.
When I am asked that question I usually say someting like the "bushmaster is the largest/longest pitviper on earth (with the EDB probably coming in second)". "The gaboon is the heaviest bodied viper on earth and also possesses the longest fangs." As in all things, there are exceptions to every rule so I try to caution folks into categorizing "biggest", "largest", "longest", etc. It's sort of like the argument between the Reticulated Python and Green Anaconda.
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL
www.thegrassisrattling.com
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RE: Largest Viper??
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by Cro on March 19, 2007
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At times I have to wonder just what is the fasination people have with naming animals the :
"largest," "smallest," "fastest," "slowest," "longest," "shortest," "quietest," "loudest," etc.
We leave out all the thousands of in-between animals.
Guess it is just one of those human nature things, LOL!
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Largest Viper??
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by Atrox788 on March 19, 2007
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I will agree with you on the bushmasters though I would still be hard pressed to count out diamondbacks for the heaviest. I have seen some simply massive diamondbacks. It would be a close call but as an overall rule because of the consistant over all size difference leaning twords bushmaster I agree, bushmasters are the largest all around.
As for vipers, I dont think there are any that can obtain a larger girth or length then gaboons. Russel's and Puffs can get huge too but not that big.
Regarding fangs. At the Natural History Meseume here in DC, they have similar length skeletons of both an Eastern Diamondback and Gaboon Viper. Both probaly about 3ft. Compareing them side to side the Eastern actualy had longer fangs LOL Not difinative but i was suprised to see it.
At the end of the day the biggest or longest dosent mean squat. I mean come on. Aspidelaps are the best snakes on the planet and they dont win either category LOL
All the best
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I'm with you Greg...
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by RepFan on March 19, 2007
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Greg,
I was thinking the same thing myself. Maybe talking with you all these years has finally rubbed off on me.
~ Todd
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RE: I'm with you Greg...
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by trueviper_uk on March 20, 2007
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Thankyou to all for your reply.
I asked out of curiousity but I agree it makes little difference.
However when I talk to friends about MY snakes I like to give them accurate information, they dont know about snakes the way we do!
Regards,
Mark.
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