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BOTHROPS - S America
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by iLuVeNoM on July 26, 2008
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I am getting really confused now about the Bothrops genus. I caught an Austin Stevens episode where he looks for and finds the huge Lancehead viper. I mean it was amazingly large and scary to boot.
But my question is, is this a fer-de-lance or not? And what's the diff between those and the Golden Lancehead? And the Barba Amarilla?? I visted some sites but cannot find the breakdown of the species.
I love Bothrops. I need to get this sorted out in my head. Can you help?
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RE: BOTHROPS - S America
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by PitVipers on July 26, 2008
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I didn't watch that episode with Austin Stevens, but the golden lancehead comes from Que Mada Grande, an island off Brazil, and it is not a fer-de-lance. It's a lancehead though.
Barba Amarilla is a lancehead, (Bothrops asper) It is a large terrestrial pit viper. Mistakenly called a fer-de-lance. The "true" Fer-de-lance, is found on the island of Martinque. The common lancehead, (Bothrops atrox) is also commonly, albeit, mistakenly called a "Fer-de-Lance also.
Hope this clears thing up.
Randal
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RE: BOTHROPS - S America
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by tj on July 26, 2008
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The snake Austin caught was a bothrops asper (terciopelo) in Costa Rica. All bothrops are considered lanceheads, with the true fer-de-lance Randal spoke of being bothrops lanceolatus.
Barba amarilla is a spanish term for yellow jaw, so it could apply to atrox or asper.
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RE: BOTHROPS - S America
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by Cro on July 27, 2008
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The book "The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere" (Volumes 1 and 2)
Jonathan A. Campbell and William W. Lamar. 2004
has a very good discussion on this topic, and great photos and range maps.
Although it costs about $150.00, it is a book set that should be in every herpers library.
Best Regards John Z
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RE: BOTHROPS - S America
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by FSB on July 29, 2008
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Bothrops is definitely a large a confusing genus.... and then there's Bothriechis. It's hard to go by common names as there are a boatload of them and they vary considerably all over South America. Several snakes get called "Fer de Lance" (which just means "Lancehead"), and the Cape Fear Serpentarium, regularly uses the name interchangeably on their website for B. atrox and B. asper, which is commonly called the Terciopelo (Spanish for "velvet"). I have also heard the term loosely applied to other members of the genus, including B. neuweidi.
By the way, I'm looking for a copy of an interesting image I saw in a book a long time ago, so I know it's out there. It's an old engraving or woodcut that depicts Indians dumping basket-loads of Fer de Lances on an island (possibly Martinique!) in what is considered the earliest -known example of biological warfare. I'd appreciate any additional info on this topic, as well as the image, if it's online somewhere. Thanks- Frederick
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RE: BOTHROPS - S America
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by iLuVeNoM on July 31, 2008
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Thanks for clearing this up. I am mezmerized by the Terciopelo - it's color, texture, marble eyes (Awesome!!), attitude and independent "fang" suspension (made that one up). It looks like a creature that one could really get to love and care for.....which leads me to ask:
* are they easy to care for?
* where are terciopelos as it relates to LD50? They don't seem to make any "top 20s".
* Of all the Bothrops, what order would their venoms rank in terms of toxicity?
* are they generally irritable animals, or docile?
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RE: BOTHROPS - S America
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by iLuVeNoM on July 31, 2008
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John - I'll look up that book set, sounds like good reading. Just happen to work for a book wholesaler so maybe I'll get lucky with a pub deal.
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