Rhombic Night Adder

About the Rhombic Night Adder

Causus rhombeatus, commonly known as the rhombic night adder, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. No subspecies are recognized as being valid.

With an average total length (tail included) of 60 cm (24 in), C. rhombeatus is the largest member of the genus Causus. The longest individual ever recorded was a male, 93 cm (37 in) in total length, collected in eastern Zimbabwe.

The head has a snout that is relatively blunt (i.e., more rounded than in other members of this genus), on the sides of which the nostrils are positioned. The circumorbital ring consists of 2–3 preoculars, 1–2 postoculars, and 1–2 suboculars that separate the eye from the supralabials. The temporal scales usually number 2+3, sometimes 2+4, but very rarely 2+2 or 3+3. There are 6 supralabial scales, very rarely 7. The sublabial scales usually number 7 or 10, rarely 8, and very rarely 11, 12 or 13. The first 3–4 sublabials are in contact with the anterior chin shields. The posterior chin shields are small and often indistinguishable from the gulars.

At midbody there are 15–21 rows of dorsal scales that are moderately... Wikipedia →