Large-scaled Pit Viper
Craspedocephalus macrolepis
Silhouette: Vijay Karthick · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyViperidae (Vipers)
- GenusCraspedocephalus
- SpeciesCraspedocephalus macrolepis (Large-scaled Pit Viper)
About the Large-scaled Pit Viper
Craspedocephalus macrolepis, commonly known as the large-scaled pit viper, is a venomous pitviper species endemic to the Southern Western Ghats of South India. No subspecies are currently recognized. It is found in the mountains of southern Western Ghats south of Palakkad Gap, in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is a high-elevation specialist, not normally recorded anywhere below 1200 m asl. Precise records are from Nelliyampathy, Munnar, Anaimalai, Palni hills, Meghamalai, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Agasthyamalai and Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. at elevations of 1200-2695 m asl. The type locality is listed as "Anamalai hills (Tamil Nadu State, southwestern India)".
Adults may attain a total length of 68 cm (27 in), which includes a tail 12 cm (4.7 in) long. Dorsally, C. macrolepis is bright green, with blackish skin between the scales in some places. There is a yellow or white stripe on each side of the body, which runs along the first dorsal scale row. The upper lips are pale green, and there may be a black streak behind the eye. Ventrally, it is pale greenish.
The dorsal scales, which are large, keeled, and overlapping, are... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Large-scaled Pit Viper in Eravikulam National Park
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eravikulam National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Large-scaled Pit Viper in Eravikulam National Park?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Large-scaled Pit Viper sighting in Eravikulam National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Large-scaled Pit Viper in Eravikulam National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Large-scaled Pit Viper in Eravikulam National Park in our monthly data.