Clinical Toxinology Resources Home
 
 
  overview_of_viperid_snakes_taxonomy

Family Viperidae

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
Causus spp. African night adders Local effects, paralysis
Cerastes spp. African horned adders Local effects, coagulopathy, haemorrhage, shock
Daboia russelii Russell’s viper Local effects, coagulopathy, haemorrhage, renal failure, paralysis & myolysis (Sri Lanka only)
Echis spp. African & West Asian saw scaled vipers Local effects, coagulopathy, haemorrhage, shock
Macrovipera spp. Eurasian vipers Local effects, coagulopathy, haemorrhage, shock
Pseudocerastes spp. Middle East horned vipers Paralysis
Vipera spp. European vipers Local effects, necrosis, shock

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

 

RETURN TO "Overview of Snake Taxonomy" page

RETURN TO "Snakes Home Page"