Berg Adder

About the Berg Adder

The berg adder (Bitis atropos) is a viper species endemic to mountainous regions in southern Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized. The specific name, atropos, refers to the Greek mythological goddess Atropos, who was one of the Three Fates, the one who cut the thread of life. The type locality given is "America", but this is obviously a mistake. More likely, it is the Cape of Good Hope, according to FitzSimons (1962).

Its common names include berg adder, Cape mountain adder, and mountain adder. The typical adult size of B. atropos is 30–40 cm (about 12–16 in) in total length (body and tail), with some females reaching a maximum total length of 50 cm (20 in) in the wild and 60 cm (24 in) in captivity. B. atropos is found in isolated populations of the mountainous regions of southern Africa. In South Africa, the species is known to occur in the Transvaal, along the Drakensberg escarpment of the eastern and northern Transvaal. Elsewhere in South Africa, it occurs in western Natal, Lesotho, and eastern Free State, and in the southern coastal mountains of western and eastern Cape Province. Spawls and Branch (1995)... Wikipedia →