Causus lichtensteinii

Causus lichtensteinii
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Causus
Species:	C. lichtensteinii
Binomial name
Causus lichtensteinii (Jan, 1859)
Synonyms
Aspedilaps Lichtensteinii Jan, 1859 Causus lichtensteinii — A.H.A. Duméril, 1859 A[spedilaps]. (Causus) Lichtensteini — Jan, 1863 A[spedilaps]. Lichtensteini — Jan & Sordelli, 1873 Dinodipsas angulifera W. Peters, 1882 Causus lichtensteinii — Boulenger, 1896 Causus lichtensteini — de Witte, 1962

Causus lichtensteinii is a viper species endemic to western, central, and eastern Africa. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid. Like all other vipers, the species is venomous.

Etymology

The specific name, or epithet, lichtensteinii, honors German herpetologist Martin Hinrich Lichtenstein.

Common names

Common names for C. lichtensteinii include Lichtenstein's night adder, forest night adder, and olive-green viper.

Description

Adults of C. lichtensteinii average 30–55 cm (12–22 in) in length with a reported maximum of 70 cm (28 in).

The head is not very wide, and the snout is blunt. The eye is surrounded by a circumorbital ring of 5–7 scales. There are 6 supralabials and 9 sublabials. The temporals number 2+3 or sometimes 2+2, with the first and second upper temporals being as long together as the first lower one. Loreals: 1+1. Midbody there are 15 rows of weakly keeled dorsal scales that have a velvety texture. The anal scale is single. There are 128–152 ventral scales. The subcaudals number 18–22 in males and 17–19 in females.

The color pattern consists of a greenish or olive ground color overlaid with a series of dark narrow backward pointing chevrons running down the back. This pattern may be vague or developed fully into rhombic markings. The back of the neck has a characteristic white V-shape while the throat is black with yellow bands. Juvenile specimens are generally dark brown in color.

Geographic range

Causus lichtensteinii is found from Guinea and Liberia eastward through Ghana to Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, south to northern Angola, DR Congo and northwestern Zambia, and east to Uganda and western Kenya.

The type locality is listed as "Côte- d'Or " (Gold Coast, Ghana).

Habitat

As opposed to other members of its genus, C. lichtensteinii is mostly found in pristine rain forests with little light filtering down to the forest floor. It tends to be found near water in swampy areas. In the Atewa Range Forest Reserve in Ghana it has been found at altitudes of up to 670 m (2,200 ft).

Behavior

Causus lichtensteinii is diurnal and mostly terrestrial. However, it is a good swimmer and has even colonized certain islands in Lake Victoria. When disturbed it puts on a hissing and puffing threat display similar to other members of the genus.

Reproduction

Causus lichtensteinii is oviparous.

Further reading

• Boulenger GA (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III. Containing the ... Viperidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (Causus lichtensteinii, p. 470).
• Jan [G] (1859). "Additions et rectifications aux Plan et Prodrome de l' Iconographie descriptive des Ophidiens". Revue et magasin de zoologie pure et appliquée, 2e serie 11: 505-512. (Aspidelaps lichtensteinii, new species, p. 511). (in French).