African Vipers
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The Viperine Radiation Across Africa
The African continent is home to some of the world’s most medically significant vipers, occupying niches from the hyper-arid Sahara to the dense rainforests of the Congo Basin. Unlike the North American Crotalids, African vipers (Viperinae) lack heat-sensing pits but compensate with extraordinary camouflage and massive venom yields. The Bitis genus includes the ubiquitous Puff Adder, responsible for more fatalities than any other African snake, and the Gaboon Viper, possessor of the world’s longest fangs. In the arid belts of West and North Africa, the Saw-scaled Vipers (Echis spp.) represent a constant threat to agricultural workers, producing highly pro-coagulant venoms that defy simple treatment in resource-limited settings. This section explores the intersection of these species and the environmental factors—such as seasonal rains and harvesting cycles—that drive human-snake conflict.
Genus: Bitis
The ‘Heavy-bodied Vipers’. This genus includes the Puff Adder and Gaboon Viper. They are sedentary ambush predators that rely on perfect camouflage.
Genus: Echis
The ‘Saw-scaled Vipers’. Small but incredibly aggressive. They produce a characteristic ‘sizzling’ sound by rubbing their scales together as a warning.
Regional Intersection Map
West Africa
- • Saw-scaled Viper (E. ocellatus)
- • Puff Adder
- • Rhinoceros Viper
Central Africa
- • Gaboon Viper
- • Western Bush Viper
- • Forest Puff Adder
Southern Africa
- • Puff Adder
- • Berg Adder
- • Horned Adder
East Africa
- • Kenya Horned Viper
- • Puff Adder
- • Usambara Bush Viper