Sind Saw-Scaled Viper
Echis carinatus sochureki
A small, highly defensive desert viper known for producing a distinctive rasping warning sound by rubbing its serrated scales together.
- Venomous?
- Venomous
- Adult length
- 30-50 cm (12-20 in)
- Range
- Arid regions of Pakistan, western India, and parts of the Middle East
Found a snake like this?
Identify any snake from a photo, free.
Overview
The Sind Saw-Scaled Viper is a small but medically important desert-dwelling viper found across arid parts of South Asia and the Middle East. It is famous for producing a sizzling, rasping sound by rubbing coils of serrated body scales together as a warning.
Despite its small size, it is responsible for a significant number of snakebite incidents in its range due to its abundance and defensive nature.
How to identify it
- Small, stout-bodied viper with sandy, tan, or greyish coloration
- Row of pale, often white, blotches along the back with darker wavy side markings
- Distinctly keeled, serrated lateral scales used to produce a rasping sound
- Triangular head with vertical pupils
- Distinguished from other Echis subspecies mainly by range and subtle pattern differences
Habitat & range
Sandy and rocky deserts, scrubland, and agricultural margins across Pakistan, western India, and adjacent Middle Eastern regions.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Nocturnal, becoming active after dusk in warm weather. Highly defensive, coiling and rasping scales loudly when threatened. Feeds on rodents, lizards, and arthropods. Viviparous, producing live young.
Frequently asked questions
Why does it make a hissing or rasping sound?
It rubs specialized serrated scales along its sides together to produce a warning sound when threatened.
Is it a medically important snake?
Yes, saw-scaled vipers are responsible for a significant number of snakebite cases in South Asia.
Where does it live?
Arid deserts and scrubland across Pakistan, western India, and parts of the Middle East.
What does it eat?
Small rodents, lizards, and arthropods.
Sind Saw-Scaled Viper guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Sind Saw-Scaled Viper.
