Two-Striped Night Adder
( lined night adder or two-lined night adder )
- Causus bilineatus
- IUCN Status: Least Concern
- Threat: dangerous
- Venom/Toxin: none
- Trend: decreasing
General Information
Two-Striped Night Adder (Causus bilineatus) is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae.
The species is native to southcentral Africa. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
Description
Adults of C. bilineatus have an average total length (tail included) of 30–50 cm, with a reported maximum of 65 cm.
The head is slightly distinct from the neck, while the snout is fairly long and tapering. Midbody there are 15–18 rows of dorsal scales that are weakly keeled and have a soft and velvety appearance. The ventral scales number 122–141 in males and 128–144 in females. There are 18–30 subcaudals.
The color pattern consists of an ash to auburn to brown ground color, overlaid with numerous irregular or vaguely rectangular black dorsal patches. These patches lie within two distinct and narrow pale stripes that run the length of the body. The belly color is dark to dark cream.
Fun Facts
Two-Striped Night Adder is venomous, and there is no available antivenom. However, no human fatalities from its bite have been recorded.
Diet
C. bilineatus preys mostly upon toads and frogs, particularly the frogs of the genus Xenopus.
Distribtion & Habitat
C. bilineatus occurs in moist savanna, forest-savanna environments, and swampy habitats, at altitudes of 800–1,800 m. Wild-caught specimens found to have eaten clawed frogs, Xenopus, suggest a more aquatic nature than other species.
C. bilineatus is found in Angola, southern DR Congo, Rwanda, western Tanzania, and Zambia.
References
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- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
- Order: Squamata
- Suborder: Serpentes
- Family: Viperidae
- Genus: Causus
- Length: up to 65 cm
