Causus lichtensteinii

Causus lichtensteinii
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Causus
Species:	C. lichtensteinii
Binomial name
	Causus lichtensteinii; (Jan, 1859)
Synonyms
	Aspedilaps Lichtensteinii ; Jan, 1859 ; Causus lichtensteinii ; — A.H.A. Duméril, 1859 ; Aspedilaps (Causus) Lichtensteini ; — Jan, 1863 ; Aspedilaps Lichtensteini ; — Jan & Sordelli, 1873 ; Dinodipsas angulifera ; W. Peters, 1882 ; Causus lichtensteinii ; — Boulenger, 1896 ; Causus lichtensteini ; — de Witte, 1962 ;

Causus lichtensteinii is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to western, central, and eastern Africa.^[3] There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.^[4]^[5]

Etymology

The specific name, or epithet, lichtensteinii, honors German herpetologist Martin Hinrich Lichtenstein.^[4]^[6]

Common names

Common names for C. lichtensteinii include Lichtenstein's night adder,^[3] the forest night adder,^[4]^[7] and the olive-green viper.^[8]

Description

Adults of C. lichtensteinii average 30–55 cm (12–22 in) in total length (tail included), with a reported maximum of 70 cm (28 in).^[3]

The head is not very wide, and the snout is blunt. The eye is surrounded by a circumorbital ring of 5–7 scales. There are 6 supralabials and 9 sublabials. The temporals number 2+3 or sometimes 2+2, with the first and second upper temporals being as long together as the first lower one. Loreals: 1+1. Midbody there are 15 rows of weakly keeled dorsal scales that have a velvety texture. The anal scale is single. There are 128–152 ventral scales. The subcaudals number 18–22 in males and 17–19 in females.^[3]

The color pattern consists of a greenish or olive ground color overlaid with a series of dark narrow backward pointing chevrons running down the back. This pattern may be vague or developed fully into rhombic markings. The back of the neck has a characteristic white V-shape while the throat is black with yellow bands. Juvenile specimens are generally dark brown in color.^[3]

Geographic range

C. lichtensteinii is found from Guinea and Liberia eastward through Ghana to Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, south to northern Angola, DR Congo and northwestern Zambia, and east to Uganda and western Kenya.^[2]

The type locality is listed as "Côte-d'Or " [= Gold Coast, now Dominion of Ghana].^[9]

Habitat

As opposed to other members of its genus, C. lichtensteinii is mostly found in pristine rain forests with little light filtering down to the forest floor. It tends to be found near water in swampy areas. In the Atewa Range Forest Reserve in Ghana it has been found at altitudes of up to 670 m (2,200 ft).^[3]

Behavior

C. lichtensteinii is diurnal and mostly terrestrial. However, it is a good swimmer and has even colonized certain islands in Lake Victoria. When disturbed it puts on a hissing and puffing threat display similar to other members of the genus.^[3]

Reproduction

C. lichtensteinii is oviparous.^[4] Clutch size is four to eight eggs.^[10]

Venom

Little is known about the venom of C. lichtensteinii.^[10]

References

^ Luiselli, L.; Wagner, P.; Chirio, L.; Trape, J.-F.; Branch, W.R.; Zassi-Boulou, A.-G.; Gonwouo, N.L.; Chippaux, J.-P.; Kusamba, C. (2021). "Causus lichtensteinii ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T13300938A13300947. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T13300938A13300947.en. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
^ ^a ^b McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G (2003). True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Causus lichtensteinii at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 19 June 2021.
^ "Causus lichtensteinii ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Causus lichtensteini, p. 157).
^ Spawls, Stephen; Branch, Bill (1995). The Dangerous Snakes of Africa: Natural History, Species Directory, Venoms and Snakebite. Dubai: Ralph Curtis Publishing. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
^ U.S. Navy (1991). Poisonous Snakes of the World. New York: United States Government / Dover Publications Inc. 203 pp. ISBN 0-486-26629-X.
^ Jan [G] (1859). "Additions et rectifications aux Plan et Prodrome de l' Iconographie descriptive des Ophidiens". Revue et magasin de zoologie pure et appliquée, 2e serie 11: 505–512. (Aspidelaps lichtensteinii, new species, p. 511). (in French).
^ ^a ^b Spawls S, Howell K, Hinkel H, Menegon M (2018). Field Guide to East African Reptiles, Second Edition. London: Bloomsbury Natural History. 624 pp. ISBN 978-1472935618. (Causus lichtensteinii, pp. 571–572).