– THOMPSON M,
Bothrops lanceolatus
Homoeopathic name and abbreviation: Bothrops lanceolatus; Both.
Common names: Yellow viper, Fer-de-lance
Description:
Distribution: Island of Martinique
Range: Wet areas of Martinique islands (Lesser Antilles)
Venom:
Authority: Lacepeda, 1789
Comments: A lancehead bite can leave scars for years.
(T F Allen)
DISTRIBUTION The island of Martinique, West Indies. The distribution seems to be disjunct, with two isolated populations confined to humid upland regions in the the northern and southern portions of the island. The northern population ranges over roughly one-third of Martinique from above Fort-de-France northward to the Montagne Pelee Massif and in wetter portions of the northern windward coast. The southern population ranges from the region of Morne Serpent and Morne Vauclin southwestwardly into the hilly region between Les Trois-Ilets and Les Anses-d’Arlets (Map 68). The vertical distribution ranges to about 1,300 m.
HABITAT Bothrops lanceolatus is an inhabitant of tropical moist forest and tropical wet forest, primarily in upland regions. It also occupies rocky hillsides and tends to be arboreal, having been found as high as 20 m above ground.
DESCRIPTION Bothrops lanceolatus is a large, semi-arboreal lancehead that averages 1,500 mm or more in length and can attain a size in excess of 2,000mm. There is an unofficial record of 2,980mm for this species; if true, it surely represents an extreme case.
REMARKS The popular name fer-de-lance has been applied most often to mainland forms such as B. asper and B. atrox, and it has become moderately entrenched in the the English language. Apparently, the term was coined by Lacepede when he described B. lanceolatus, as he allegedly disliked the vernacular name vipére jaune. Thus, while fer-de-lance applies strictly to the Martinique species, it has no vernacular value and has never been used on the island.
The name fer-de-lance, often employed outside of Latin America, is usually applied to Bothrops asper or B. atrox. This name was coined to apply to an Antillean species, B. lanceolatus, but is not used by native inhabitants of any Latin American country.
Fornias: The color of Bothrops lanceolatus is very variable, even in the the younger of a brood. Prof Brehms gives it as a more or less deep brown-yellowish red, which may be shaded from brown to gray-brown and black, and constitute the ground tint. The delineation consists, on the one hand, of continued stripes which start at the nose and under the eyes, down the neck, and are not rarely absent, and, on the other hand, of irregular, somewhat bright spots, sometimes tiger-like. Some specimens exhibit a beautiful red color on the sides.
Dr Ditmars, curator of the Reptile House, Zoological Gardens, New York, informs me that Bothrops lanceolatus is a viviparous ophidia, bringing forth living young to the number of from ten to twenty-four. The young are about six inches long, and have a bright sulphur yellow tail. At birth they are fully provided with fangs, and leave the mother at once to fend for themselves.
When young the Bothrops lanceolatus lives chiefly on lizards, later on birds, and finally on rats. In the impenetrable woods, it lies quiet as death, seldom disturbed but by the singing of some birds that live in the wilderness. The night is the time of its wandering, and it has been seen in the roads crossed by men during the day. During the day time and while resting, it lies rolled up in ring shape, with the head in the centre, but when disturbed, it stretches itself the whole length, and like an arrow springs mercilessly at the enemy, and rolls up again into a ring after the danger is over. Its attack is always powerful, and after a bite is ready for the next. When mad it may bite its victim twice or more. While crawling it proudly holds its head up, and moves with such lightness that no noise is heard or impression left in its track. Even the young are very lively and vicious.
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