What is Fer-de-Lance?

The Fer-de-Lance (Bothrops asper) is a highly venomous pit viper that lives from southern Mexico to northern South America. They are feared throughout Central America because these venomous snakes are common, hard to spot, and are quite willing to attack and bite if they will or will not be disturbed.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Subphylum: Vertebrata
• Class: Reptilia
• Order: Squamata
• Suborder: Serpentes
• Family: Viperidae
• Subfamily: Crotalinae
• Genus: Bothrops
• Scientific Name: Bothrops asper

Fer-de-Lance is found east of Mexico in the Atlantic Lowlands and in Central American countries, including Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica. It is also found in northern parts of South America, including Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. On the island of Trinidad, this snake is the only snake in the genus Bottrops.

Habitat

Their preferred habitat includes all humid environments from the lower and middle altitudes of the tropics up to 2,000 feet (600 m). But this pit viper can also be found in other habitats, including lowland to low mountain areas, spiny forests or pine prairies near rivers, streams or lakes, or in drier parts of tropical deciduous forests and cloud forests of Mexico.

This pit viper can also be found at higher altitudes, such as in Mexico and Central America, anywhere from 3,900 to 4,300 feet (1,200 to 1,300 m) above sea level. Although they tend to avoid drier areas during seasonal dry periods, adult specimens may be found in desert areas.

In South America, and even at higher elevations, Venezuela has a maximum elevation of 8,200 feet (2,500 m), and Colombia has an even higher elevation of 8,660 ft (2,640 m). They will also be ready to occupy newly cleared land for agricultural areas or plantations.

It is a very well adapted species, able to reproduce in almost all habitats, and as a result, it is one of the most abundant snake species in the world. The giraffe is also often found near human settlements, so these snakes are considered more dangerous to humans than other venomous snake species.

Size

Like other snakes of the genus Bottrops, the  Fer-de-Lance has a wide, flat head distinct from the body. The head is usually medium to dark brown, but can even be black, sometimes with occipital spots or streaks more or less distinctive.

This pit viper is usually 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 m) long and weighs up to 13 pounds (6 kg). Females are much larger than males, and their bodies are thick and heavy, sometimes up to 10 times the size of males.

Diet

The size and strength of Fer-de-Lance, combined with their extremely toxic venom, made them effective predators. Because the terciopelo is widely distributed, its diet includes a wide range of prey.

Juveniles mainly feed on small lizards or large insects such as centipedes, while adults feed on mammals, amphibians, reptiles and even other snakes.

In Ecuador, barracuda (terciopelo) feed mainly on rodents, while in Trinidad, they eat just about everything from rodents, small mammals, lizards, frogs, birds, and even crayfish.

In Costa Rica, adult snakes feed on rats, opossums and other rodents, rabbits, frogs, and geckos.

Bites

Bite symptoms include local pain, severe swelling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, blistering, bruising and necrosis. These pit viper have a very powerful and fast - acting blood - containing venom.

They are considered the most dangerous snake species in Costa Rica, accounting for almost half of all snakebite cases and one-third of all hospitalizations. In its range, many people are killed by barracuda every year.