The Family Viperidae contains fewer well-known, or notorious, venomous snakes, but most people will be acquainted with the rattlesnakes, and some with the bushmaster, fer-de-lance, puff adder, Gaboon viper and temple and bush vipers. The vipers differ from the Elapidae in that their front venom fangs are folded back when not in use. Many viperid snakes have the distinctive "club-shaped" head, some with scales projecting over the eyes that give them a scowling appearance. Despite the common name "viper", no representatives of this family are found in Australia. Traditionally viperid venom is usually haemotoxic.
| Genus | Common Name | Distribution | Size | Notes |
| Subfamily Azemiopinae | ||||
| Aziemops | Fea's Viper | China, Burma, Vietnam and Tibet | 1 species, A. feae: found in mountains: oviparous: has 9 headshields and smooth scales. | |
| Subfamily Viperinae | ||||
| Adenorhinos | Short-Headed Viper | Tanzania | 1 species, formerly part of Atheris. DANGEROUS | |
| Atheris | Bush Vipers | C Africa | 8-12 species, all arboreal and usually associated with hill forest. Not always fatal but should still be considered DANGEROUS | |
| Bitis | African Adders, Puff Adders, Gaboon and Rhinoceros Vipers | Africa and Arabia | ?' | 16-17 species. The Gaboon Viper B. gabonica is especially beautiful. Venom varies from mild to fatal. At least some species (esp. the Puff Adder, B. arietans) should be considered DANGEROUS. The Gaboon Viper B. gabonica is especially beautiful. |
| Causus | Night Adders | Africa | ?" | 6 species living in moist forest and savannah and preying mainly on frogs and toads. Venom not normally fatal. |
| Cerastus | Horned Viper | N Africa and Middle East | ?' | 3 species, normally found in arid and desert areas. Bad-tempered and DANGEROUS |
| Daboia | Russell's Viper | Indian subcontinent, SE Asia and China | 1 species: formerly considered Vipera russellii. Kills many people each year owing partly to bad temperament. DANGEROUS. | |
| Echis | Carpet or Saw-Scaled Vipers | N Africa and Middle East | Up to 3' | 4-12 species, all formerly lumped together under the species E. carinatus. DANGEROUS |
| Eristicophis | McMahon's Viper | Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan | 1 species. | |
| Macrovipera | N Africa | 4 species | ||
| Montatheris | Montane Vipers | E Africa | Up to 14" | 1 species, the Kenya Montane Viper M. hindii. Found at high altitudes but is terrestrial: not considered likely to be dangerous. |
| Proatheris | Lowland Swamp Viper | S & E Africa | 1 small species: bites probably not life-threatening. | |
| Pseudocerastes | Horned Viper | Middle East, C Asia and India | 2 species. | |
| Vipera | Vipers | Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Asia | ?" | 27 species, widely distributed from W Europe to Asia. A few are DANGEROUS. |
| Subfamily Crotalinae | ||||
| Agkistrodon | Cottonmouths, Copperheads, Asian Pit Vipers | USA, Mexico and Central America | ?" | 3 species. Mattison notes that these snakes resemble vipers rather than the traditional elapid form. All are DANGEROUS |
| Atropoides | S Mexico and C America | 3 species: formerly members of Bothrops | ||
| Bothriechis | Mexico, C America, Venezuela | 8 species: formerly members of Bothrops | ||
| Bothriopsis | S America (not Uruguay, Argentina or Chile) | 7 species: formerly members of Bothrops | ||
| Bothrocophias | Colombia | 1 species | ||
| Bothrops | Eyelash Vipers, Fer-de-Lance | C & S America | 34 species, formerly 50 but some species split off into different genera. At least some species in this genus are DANGEROUS. | |
| Calloselasma | SE Asia | 1 species, toxicity unknown | ||
| Cerrophidion | Mexico and C America | 4 species | ||
| Crotalus | Rattlesnakes | N America inc. Mexico | ?" | 29 species: size, toxicity and proximity to human dwelling places vary, but at least some should be considered DANGEROUS |
| Deinagkistrodon | China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos | 1 species | ||
| Ermia | China | 1 species, formerly included in Trimesurus | ||
| Gloydius | Asia, including Russia, India and Japan but not SE Asia | 10 species | ||
| Hypnale | Sri Lanka and India | 3 species. | ||
| Lachesis | Bushmaster | C America, N S America | 10' | 3 species, of which two were formerly considered subspecies of L. muta: the only oviparous pit vipers in the New World. |
| Ophryacus | Mexico | 2 species | ||
| Ovophis | India, SE Asia and Japan | 4 species | ||
| Porthidium | Mexico, C America, Venezuela and Ecuador | 7 species, formerly members of Bothrops | ||
| Protobothrops | Japan, India, SE Asia, China | 7 species | ||
| Sistrurus | Massasaugas and Pygmy Rattlesnakes | USA and Mexico | 10-30" | 3-4 species. Most if not all considered not dangerous to humans. |
| Trimerus | Bamboo or Temple Vipers | China, Indian subcontinent and SE Asia | 32 species: widespread. | |
| Tropidolaemus | S India and SE Asia | 2 species: formerly considered members of Trimeresurus | ||
Snakes of the World, Chris Mattison, Blandford. Very concise and useful guide to the general biology, natural history and classification of snakes, including an overview of virtually all the world's species.
Amphibians and Reptiles of North Africa, W Kästle, H H Schleich and K Kabisch, Koeltz Scientific Books, Germany 1996. Outstanding review of N African herpetofauna giving detailed account of each species. I gratefully acknowledge their details for the N African species.
Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa, Bill Branch, Struik, S Africa 1998. Excellent field guide to the reptiles of the subcontinent, giving colour plates and scalation details for each species (and ecology where possible).
A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa, Stephen Spawls, Kim Howell, Robert Drewes and James Ashe, Academic Press, 2002. Excellent field guide to the reptiles of the region.
The EMBL reptile database has been especially useful for the latest records of the numbers of species in each genus and their distribution.
Back to Intro | Back to Snakes | Back to Reptiles | Back to Herpetology | Back to Home Page