Brown-Spotted Pit Viper
Protobothrops mucrosquamatus
A slender brown pit viper with a chain of dark blotches, found across a wide swath of South and East Asia.
- Venomous?
- Venomous
- Adult length
- 0.9-1.3 m (3-4.3 ft)
- Range
- South and Southeast Asia, including India, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam
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Overview
The Brown-Spotted Pit Viper is a widely distributed terrestrial and semi-arboreal pit viper occurring from the Himalayan foothills through southern China and into Taiwan and Vietnam. It is one of the more medically relevant snakes across parts of its range.
It readily adapts to disturbed habitats near human activity, including agricultural land and forest edges.
How to identify it
- Light brown to grayish-brown body with a series of darker brown, roughly rectangular blotches down the back
- Slender build with a distinctly triangular head
- Vertical pupils and heat-sensing facial pits
- Rough, keeled scales
- Pale underside often with scattered dark markings
- Distinguished from other Protobothrops by blotch shape and more slender body form
Habitat & range
Occupies a broad range of habitats including forests, scrublands, rocky hillsides, and agricultural areas from the Himalayas through southern China, Taiwan, and northern Vietnam. Found from lowlands into mid-elevation hills.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Primarily nocturnal, hunting rodents, lizards, and birds from ambush. Can be found both on the ground and in low vegetation. Reproduction is oviparous, with females laying eggs that they may guard.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Brown-Spotted Pit Viper venomous?
Yes, it is a venomous pit viper of medical significance in parts of its range.
Where is the Brown-Spotted Pit Viper found?
From the Himalayan foothills through southern China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Does the Brown-Spotted Pit Viper lay eggs?
Yes, it is oviparous.
What habitats does it prefer?
Forests, scrublands, rocky hillsides, and farmland edges.
Brown-Spotted Pit Viper guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Brown-Spotted Pit Viper.
