Bothrocophias myrringae, also known as the High-Andean Toad-Headed Pitviper, is a species of venomous pit viper found in Colombia.[1] It is named in honour of the philosophical and conceptual advisor of professor Tulio Manuel Angarita Serrano, Angarita-Sierra's mother, Myriam Sierra Guerrero who contributed to the development of the current Colombian education model - 'Myrringa' being a spanish nickname meaning "pinch" or "small".[2] [3]
| Bothrocophias myrringae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Bothrocophias |
| Species: | B. myrringae
|
| Binomial name | |
| Bothrocophias myrringae Angarita-Sierra, Cubides-Cubillos, & Hurtado-Gómez, 2022
| |
Description
editBothrocophias myrringae can be identified by many characters including specific scale counts, as well as the 28 or more dark brown bands or pairs of blotches on its sides which display pale centers, bright red or orange speckles and black spots on the tail,[2] mottled brown creamy yellow underbelly which forms a white-cream stripe interrupted by dark spots and dark brown pigment toward the tail.[3]
B. myrringae exhibits sexual dimorphism. Females display a creamish or pale yellow in the labial and gular scales. In addition, males usually have mottled brown eyes with orange speckles while females have orange-gold eyes with a peppering of brown.[3]
Behaviour
editWhen threatened, Bothrocophias myrringae is known to vibrate its tail, attempt to bite and to secrete a white substance from its cloaca. These reactions are common in other Toad-Headed vipers (Bothrocophias microphthalmus and Bothrocophias hyoprora) as well as the latter two being common in Viperids as a whole.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b Flórez, Ronald Alessandro Díaz; Timms-Rangel, Juan (2023-03-13). "On the defensive behavior of the High-Andean Toad-headed Pitviper, Bothrocophias myrringae (Squamata: Viperidae), in central Colombia". Reptiles & Amphibians. 30 (1): e18146. doi:10.17161/randa.v30i1.18146. ISSN 2332-4961.
- ^ a b Species Bothrocophias myrringae at The Reptile Database
- ^ a b c Angarita-Sierra, Teddy; Cubides-Cubillos, Sergio Daniel; Hurtado-Gómez, Juan Pablo (2022-10-28). "Hidden in the highs: Two new species of the enigmatic toadheaded pitvipers of the genus Bothrocophias". Vertebrate Zoology. 72: 971–996. doi:10.3897/vz.72.e87313. ISSN 2625-8498.