Puff Adder
Bitis arietans • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Viperinae, Genus: Bitis, Species: Bitis arietans
Widespread throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the southern Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia and Yemen). It is absent from true rainforests and hyper-arid deserts like the central Sahara.
Look up Puff Adder in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Viperinae, Genus: Bitis, Species: Bitis arietans
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN); however, populations face local threats from habitat loss and persecution by humans.
Physical Description
Heavily built, stout body with a large, triangular head distinct from the neck. Coloration varies from yellow-brown to orange or grayish, featuring a series of dark, backward-pointing, chevron-shaped (V-shaped) bands along the back. Scales are heavily keeled, and the eyes have vertical pupils.
Size & Dimensions
Specimen appears to be an adult. Typical average length is 90-110 cm (approx. 3-3.6 ft), though large specimens can reach up to 190 cm (over 6 ft) and weigh over 6 kg.
Habitat
Highly adaptable, occurring in savannas, grasslands, open woodlands, and semi-deserts. It is frequently found in agricultural areas and suburban gardens. It is primarily terrestrial but can swim and climb low vegetation.
Diet & Feeding
Ambush predator. Primarily feeds on small mammals (rodents), but also consumes birds, amphibians, and lizards. It uses its venom to rapidly incapacitate prey before swallowing it.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young). Litter sizes are typically large, often 20-40 young, though record litters have exceeded 150. Peak birthing usually occurs in late summer.
Look-alikes
Often confused with other members of the Bitis genus (like Bitis gabonica) or the Rhombic Night Adder (Causus rhombeatus), which is smaller and less heavy-bodied. The chevron pattern is a key diagnostic feature for Bitis arietans.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN); however, populations face local threats from habitat loss and persecution by humans.
Cultural Significance
Highly feared throughout Africa; frequently featured in folklore and oral traditions as a symbol of sudden danger. Ecologically vital for controlling rodent populations.
Notable Features
Features a remarkably fast strike (one of the fastest in the world) and uses 'lingual flicking' and chemical signaling to track prey. It is famous for its 'rectilinear' movement, creeping forward in a straight line like a caterpillar using its belly scales.