A large and diverse Family of exclusively venomous snakes, covering most continents
(except Australia and New Guinea, Antarctica), with a highly evolved fang structure.
The fangs are at the front of the mouth, attached to a mobile maxilla, enabling
the fang to fold away against the roof of the mouth, thus permitting longer
fangs compared to head size.
FIGURE: Diagramatic representation of a "typical"
viperid snake head, showing the fang rotated into the "erect" position.
FIGURE: Approximate global distribution of Viperid snakes.
There are two major groups of vipers; Subfamily Viperinae containing the classic
vipers of the Old World; and the pit vipers, Subfamily Crotalinae,
characterised by their anteriorly placed heat-sensitive pit organs, which can
detect prey by their heat signature. Vipers are probably the most important
cause of global snakebite morbidity and mortality.
TABLE: Major groups of viperid snakes and their principal clinical effects.
Scientific name
Common name
Effect
Atheris spp.
African bush vipers
Nil significant
Bitis spp.
African puff adders, Gaboon vipers etc
Depends on species, but some cause severe local tissue injury, coagulopathy
& haemorrhage, shock, cardiotoxicity
TABLE: Major groups of crotalid snakes and their principal clinical effects.
Scientific name
Common name
Effect
Agkistrodon spp.
Nth American copperhead, cottonmouth, cantil
Local effects, necrosis, coagulopathy, haemorrhage, shock
Atropoides spp.
Central American jumping pit vipers
Local effects, necrosis
Bothriechis spp.
Central American palm pit vipers
Local effects, necrosis, shock
Bothrops spp.
Sth & Central American pit vipers
Depends on species, but may include local effects, necrosis, coagulopathy,
haemorrhage, renal damage, myolysis, shock
Calloselasma rhodostoma
Malayan pit viper
Local effects, necrosis, coagulopathy, haemorrhage, renal damage, shock
Cerriphidion spp.
Central American montane pit vipers
Local effects, necrosis
Crotalus spp.
Rattlesnakes
Depends on species; in Nth America, local effects, necrosis, coagulopathy;
shock; in Sth America, local effects, paralysis, coagulopathy, myolysis,
renal damage
Deinagkistrodon acutus
Chinese hundred pace viper
Local effects, necrosis, coagulopathy, haemorrhage, shock
Gloydius spp.
Asian terrestrial pit vipers
Local effects, necrosis, coagulopathy, haemorrhage, shock
Hypnale spp.
Sri Lankan hump nosed vipers
Local effects
Lachesis spp.
Central & Sth American bushmasters
Local effects, necrosis, coagulopathy, shock
Ophryacus spp.
Central American horned pit vipers
Local effects, necrosis, shock
Ovophis spp.
Asian montane pit vipers
Local effects, coagulopathy, haemorrhage
Porthidium spp.
Central American montane pit vipers
Local effects, necrosis, shock
Sistrurus spp.
North American pygmy rattlesnakes & massasauga
Local effects, necrosis, rarely haemorrhage
Trimeresurus spp.
Asian green pit vipers
Depends on species; local effects, rarely necrosis, coagulopathy, haemorrhage
Tropidolaemus spp.
Asian tree vipers
Local effects, rarely necrosis, coagulopathy, haemorrhage
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