How to Identify the Nicobar Pit Viper (Identification Guide)
Learn the field marks of the Nicobar Pit Viper, an island-endemic species with a slender green form and arboreal lifestyle.
Read the full Nicobar Pit Viper encyclopedia entry →Key identifying features
The Nicobar Pit Viper is a slender, tree-dwelling pit viper found only in the Nicobar Islands, recognized by its typically green base color, laterally compressed body, and the family's signature features of a triangular head, vertical pupils, and heat-sensing facial pits.
Coloration & pattern
Most specimens are green to yellowish-green, sometimes with a faint bluish or brownish cast, providing effective camouflage among leaves. Some individuals show subtle darker speckling or faint crossbands along the back. A light stripe frequently runs along the lower side of the body, and the underside is pale, often cream or pale green.
Head, eyes & scales
The head is broad and triangular, distinctly set off from the slender neck, and covered in small scales. The eyes are proportionally large, useful for a species active during low light, with vertical pupils. A heat-sensing pit lies between each eye and nostril. Keeled scales give the body a faintly rough texture despite its overall smooth, streamlined appearance.
Size & body shape
The body is slim, laterally flattened, and built for climbing, with a prehensile tail for gripping branches and vines. Overall length is modest, and the build is markedly lighter than the stocky, ground-dwelling mamushi-type pit vipers.
Range & habitat where you'll see it
This species is restricted to the Nicobar Islands, where it inhabits tropical forest and shrub vegetation, typically resting coiled on low branches, shrubs, or vines, often near forest edges and clearings.
How to tell it apart from look-alikes
Its green coloration and slender, prehensile-tailed build separate it from stockier mainland pit vipers, while its restriction to the Nicobar Islands is a decisive geographic identifier distinguishing it from the similarly built Andaman Pit Viper found on a neighboring island group. The triangular head, vertical pupil, and heat pit distinguish it from any harmless green tree snake sharing its habitat.
Frequently asked questions
What is the typical color of the Nicobar Pit Viper?
It is usually green to yellowish-green, sometimes with a bluish or brownish cast, blending well with foliage.
Is this species arboreal?
Yes, it is primarily arboreal with a slender, laterally compressed body and a prehensile tail for climbing.
Where does this species occur?
It is endemic to the Nicobar Islands and not found elsewhere.
How is it distinguished from the similar Andaman Pit Viper?
The two are separated mainly by geography, as the Nicobar Pit Viper is restricted to the Nicobar Islands rather than the Andaman archipelago.