![]() Supra-orbital horns are sometimes single (as in the Desert horned viper) and sometimes consist of a row of small spikes (as in the Eyelash boa) or a cluster of small upright spikes (as in the Many-horned adder). The nose horns of most species are single, but gaboon vipers possess two, and there is a cluster of little horns in the Rhinoceros viper. In all of these snakes, the horns are soft structures make of spikes or scales. Finally, really weird horn-like structures are present in the Fishing snake Erpeton tentaculatum and in the Madagascan Langaha species. Small horn-like tubercles have been reported in Pseudocerastes fieldi from the Middle East. ![]() cornuta, Eyelash viper Bothriechis schlegelii and Horned rattlesnake or Sidewinder Crotalus cerastes. Horns over the eyes are present in the Eyelash boa Trachyboa boulengeri, Mexican horned pitviper Ophyracus undulatus, Montane pitviper Porthidium melanurum, Desert horned viper Cerastes cerastes, Persian horned viper Pseudocerastes persicus, Horned adder Bitis caudalis, Many-horned adder B. ![]() A few Eurasian viperids have nose horns, including Lataste's viper Vipera latasti and the Nose-horned viper V. They're far from the only snakes to have such structures. Anyway, one feature of gaboon vipers interests me in particular: its nasal horn(s). Like several other species in the genus, they're stocky, broad-headed snakes of forest floors, but other species inhabit deserts and even rocky, montane habitats. Gaboon vipers, the largest of the African viperids, are among the best known members of the genus Bitis (in which there are about 11 species). One thing led to another and what you're reading is the result. gabonica: see comments), and initially I was going to use it in a 'picture of the day' post. Dave Hone (of Archosaur Musings and Ask A Biologist) kindly provided the photo you see here of two captive West African gaboon vipers Bitis rhinoceros (NOT East African gaboon vipers B. ![]()
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