The Far East
Description of the most important representatives:
General behaviour |
Habitats |
Appearance |
Defensive behaviour |
Factors relevant to envenoming | |
|
nocturnal
ground-dwelling |
forests, open areas, agricultural zones, populated areas |
slender snakes, smallest species between 70 and 90 cm long, largest up to 2 m; several species with clear cross bands along the body |
very shy during the day; when threatened the head is hidden under the coils of the body |
bites only occur at night, and many victims are bitten while sleeping; the bite often goes unnoticed and the victim awakes with neurotoxic symptoms |
|
nocturnal and diurnal
ground-dwelling |
forests, open areas, agricultural zones; often in densely populated areas |
slender to sturdy body; wide head, but not clearly distinct from the body; length 1–2 m |
raising the first third of the body, neck region is spread out into a flat hood; some species with a marking on the back of the flattened hood (see picture) |
not known |
nocturnal or diurnal
ground-dwelling |
primarily in dense forest, sometimes also in open areas; never in densely populated areas |
appearance as for Naja sp., but up to 4 or 5 m long; sturdy body, yet appears slender |
as for Naja sp. (see above); in the defensive position can raise their head to a height of over 1.5 m from the ground; grunting warning sound |
bites are rare |
|
Daboia russelli ssp.
|
primarily nocturnal
ground-dwelling |
open grasslands or scrubland; plantations, often in rice fields |
sturdy body with an average length of 1 m (maximum 1.5 m); body markings consist of dark ovals |
repeated, intermittent puffing through the large nostrils; at the same time the body is formed into taut coils |
victims are chiefly rural workers, primarily in rice fields |
Gloydius sp.
|
nocturnal in warm weather, diurnal in cool; in cooler regions they hibernate
ground-dwelling |
in deserts, semi-deserts and stony regions, but also in forested areas; some species in alpine areas; G. blomhoffii in wet, preferably forested regions and in agricultural areas (rice fields) |
sturdy body, generally under 1 m in length |
flattening of the body; the tip of the tail is vibrated, which causes a rustling sound in loose substrate (e.g. leaves) |
not known |
nocturnal in warm weather, diurnal in cool; in cooler regions they hibernate
ground-dwelling |
in forested, hilly and mountainous regions, prefer rocky areas |
sturdy body with tapering head; characteristic upturned "horn" on the tip of the snout |
the tip of the tail is vibrated, which causes a rustling sound in loose substrate (e.g. leaves) |
dangerous snakes that are commonly collected in China for the production of traditional medical remedies; bite victims are often snake catchers |
|
according to the old classification (including the new subgenera/genera Craspedocephalus, Himalayophis, Ovophis, Parias, Peltopelor, Popeia, Protobothrops, Sinovipera, Trimeresurus, Tropidolaemus and Viridovipera) |
most species are arboreal (bushes and shrubs), some are ground-dwelling |
wooded regions, open areas with bushes and shrubs, parks in cities, gardens |
smaller snakes under 1 m; the most important species in medical terms are green, without markings |
body is held in an S-shaped coil |
common cause of snakebites |