About Bitis cornuta (Daudin, 1803)
Common Name and Taxonomy
Bitis cornuta (Daudin, 1803), commonly called the many-horned adder, is a small, stout viper.
Size
It typically reaches a total length of 30–50 cm (around 12–20 inches) when fully grown; the maximum recorded total length for this species is 75 cm (30 inches), measured from a captive individual.
Head Scales
Above each eye, this adder has 2 to 5 raised, horn-shaped scales.
Dorsal Coloration Base
Its dorsal coloration has a base tone ranging from grey to reddish-brown, marked with four longitudinal rows of large, dark brown blotches.
Dorsal Blotch Characteristics
These blotches are shaped like squares or parallelograms, and each is outlined with white.
Ventral Coloration
The ventral surface of the body is whitish or tan, and may be either uniformly colored or speckled with dark brown.
Head Markings
On the top of the head, dark symmetrical markings can form a shape resembling an arrowhead.
Core Distribution
This species’ distribution extends from the coastal region of southwest Namibia, through the western and southwestern parts of Cape Province in South Africa.
Isolated Populations
A small number of isolated populations are also found in eastern Cape Province.
Habitat Preferences
Bitis cornuta prefers rocky desert habitats located in dwarf succulent veld, as well as mountain slopes with heathland vegetation.
