Home Discussion Topics Dictionary Almanac

Signup Login

Bitis

Discussion

Ask a question about 'Bitis'

Start a new discussion about 'Bitis'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Encyclopedia

Common names: puff adders, African adders, African vipers.

Bitis is a genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...

of venomous
Venomous snake
A venomous snake is a snake that uses modified saliva, snake venom, usually delivered through highly specialized teeth such as hollow fangs, for the purpose of prey immobilization and self-defense...

viper
Viperinae
The Viperinae, or viperines, are a subfamily of venomous vipers found in Europe, Asia and Africa. They are distinguished by their lack of the heat-sensing pit organs that characterize their sister group, the Crotalinae. Currently, 12 genera and 66 species are recognized...

s found in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...

and the southern Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula , Arabia, Arabistan, and the Arabian subcontinent is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia...

. It includes the largest and the smallest vipers in the world. Members are known for their characteristic threat displays that involves inflating and deflating their bodies while hissing and puffing loudly. The type species
Type species
In taxonomy, a type species is a technical phrase, involved in the application of formal names...

for this genus is B. arietans

Bitis arietans

Bitis arietans is a venomous viper species found in savannah and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rain forest regions. Its wide distribution, common occurrence, large size, potent venom, and willingness to bite make it responsible for more...

, which is also the most widely distributed viper in Africa. Currently, 14 species
Species
In biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....

are recognized.

Description

Size variation within this genus is extreme, ranging from the very small B. schneideri

Bitis schneideri

Bitis schneideri is a venomous viper species found in a small coastal region that straddles the border between Namibia and South Africa. This is the smallest species in the genus Bitis and possibly the world's smallest viperid...

, which grows to a maximum of 28 cm and is perhaps the world's smallest viperid
Viperidae
The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii and the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom...

, to the very large B. gabonica

Bitis gabonica

Bitis gabonica is a venomous viper species found in the rainforests and savannas of Sub-Saharan Africa. This is not only the largest member of the genus Bitis, but also the world's heaviest viperid and it has the longest fangs and the highest venom yield of any venomous snake...

, which can attain a length of over 2 m and is the heaviest viper in the world.

All have a wide, triangular head with a rounded snout, distinct from the neck, and covered in small, keeled, imbricate scales. The canthus

Canthus (snake)

In snakes and amphibians, the canthus, canthal ridge or canthus rostralis, is the angle between the flat crown of the head and the side of the head between the eye and the snout. More specifically, between the supraocular scale and the rostral scale. It is defined as a sharp ridge in many viperids,...

is also distinct. A number of species have enlarged rostral or supraorbital

Orbit (anatomy)

In anatomy, the orbital bone is the cavity or socket of the skull in which the eye and its appendages are situated.It can also mean the skin which surrounds the eye of a bird....

scales that look like horns. The eyes are relatively small. They have large nostrils that are directed outwards and/or upwards. 0-6 rows of small scales separate the rostral and nasal scales. All species have a well-developed supranasal sac. The front of the maxillary bones are very short, supporting only one pair of recurved fangs.

These snakes are moderately to extremely stout. The body is covered with keeled

Keeled scales

Keeled scales refer to reptile scales that, rather than being smooth, have a ridge down the center that may or may not extend to the tip of the scale, making them rough to the touch...

scales that are imbricate with apical pits. At midbody, the dorsal scales

Dorsal scales

In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales.When counting dorsal scales, numbers are often given for three points along the body, for example 19:21:17...

number 21-46. Laterally, the dorsal scales may be slightly oblique. The ventral scales

Ventral scales

In snakes, the ventral scales are the enlarged and transversely elongated scales that extend down the underside of the body from the neck to the anal scale. When counting them, the first is the anteriormost ventral scale that contacts the paraventral row of dorsal scales on either side...

, which number 112-153, are large, rounded and sometimes have slight lateral keels. The tail is short. Anal scale

Anal scale

In snakes, the anal scale is the scale just in front of and covering the cloacal opening. This scale can be either single or paired . When paired, the division is oblique. It is preceded by the ventral scales and followed by the subcaudal scales....

single. The paired subcaudal scales

Subcaudal scales

In snakes, the subcaudal scales are the enlarged plates on the underside of the tail. These scales may be either single or divided and are preceded by the anal scale....

number 16-37 and are sometimes keeled laterally.

Behavior

Bitis species are known for their behavior of inflating and deflating their bodies in loud hissing or puffing threat displays. They are terrestrial
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land, as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats . Terrestrial animals evolved from marine animals...

ambush predators and appear sluggish, but can strike with amazing speed. In contrast to the pitvipers of the subfamily Crotalinae
Crotalinae
The Crotalinae, or crotalines, are a subfamily of venomous vipers found in Asia and the Americas. They are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on either side of the head...

, Bitis species appear to lack heat-sensitive organs and showed no differences in their behavior in laboratory tests towards warm and cool objects that mimicked prey.

Venom

All members of this genus are dangerous — some extremely so. At least six different polyvalent antivenoms are available. Five are produced by Aventis Pasteur (France), Pasteur Merieux (France) and SAIMR (South Africa). All of these specifically protect against B. arietans

Bitis arietans

and four also cover B. gabonica

Bitis gabonica

. At least one protects specifically against bites from B. nasicornis

Bitis nasicornis

Bitis nasicornis is a venomous viper species found in the forests of West and Central Africa. A big viper known for its striking color pattern and prominent horns on its nose. No subspecies are recognized.-Description:...

Species	Taxon author	Subsp.*	Common name	Geographic range
B. arietans Bitis arietans Bitis arietans is a venomous viper species found in savannah and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rain forest regions. Its wide distribution, common occurrence, large size, potent venom, and willingness to bite make it responsible for more... ^T	(Merrem Blasius Merrem Blasius Merrem was a German naturalist.Merrem was born at Bremen, and studied at the university of Göttingen under Johann Friedrich Blumenbach. He developed an interest in zoology, particularly ornithology... , 1820)	1	Puff adder	Most of sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara... south to the Cape of Good Hope Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of South Africa. There is a very common misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa and the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, but in fact the southernmost point is Cape Agulhas, about... , including southern Morocco Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the... , Mauritania Mauritania Mauritania , officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country in northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, by Senegal on the southwest, by Mali on the east and southeast, by Algeria on the northeast, and by the Morocco-controlled Western Sahara on the northwest... , Senegal Senegal Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south, and it also encircles The Gambia on its three sides,... , Mali Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked nation in Western Africa. Mali is the seventh largest country in Africa, bordering Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west... , southern Algeria Algeria Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country located in North Africa. It is the largest country on the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world in terms of land area.It is bordered by Tunisia in... , Guinea Guinea Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa formerly known as French Guinea . The country's current population is estimated at 10,211,437 .... , Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea in the north, Liberia in the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has a population estimated at 6.4 million... , Ivory Coast, Ghana Ghana The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa which borders Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south... , Togo Togo Togo is a country in West Africa bordering Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located... , Benin Benin Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north; its short coastline to the south leads to the Bight of Benin.... , Niger Niger Niger , officially the Republic of Niger is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger... , Chad Chad Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west... , Sudan Sudan Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area... , Cameroon Cameroon The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of... , Central African Republic Central African Republic The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa... , northern, eastern and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country located in Central Africa, with a small length of Atlantic coastline. It is the third largest country in Africa... , Uganda Uganda The Republic of Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by Tanzania... , Kenya Kenya The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas... , Somalia Somalia Somalia , officially the Republic of Somalia and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a country located in the Horn of Africa... , Rwanda Rwanda The Republic of Rwanda is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of east-central Africa, bordered by Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. Home to approaching 10 million people, Rwanda supports the densest population in continental Africa, most of whom... , Burundi Burundi Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi, is a country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its size is just under 28,000 km² with an estimated population of... , Tanzania Tanzania The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in central East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.The United... , Angola Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean. The exclave province of Cabinda has a border with the Republic of the... , Zambia Zambia The Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is... , Malawi Malawi The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by... , Mozambique Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. It was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498... , Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Zimbabwe , is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers... , Botswana Botswana The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Citizens of Botswana are called "Batswana" , regardless of ethnicity. Formerly a British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966... , Namibia Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in Southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the east, and South Africa to the south and east... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern... . Also occurs on the Arabian peninsula Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula , Arabia, Arabistan, and the Arabian subcontinent is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia... , where it is found in southwestern Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia , is an Arab country and the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south... and Yemen Yemen Yemen , officially the Republic of Yemen is a country located on the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia... .
B. atropos Bitis atropos Bitis atropos is a venomous viper species found only in three mountainous regions in southern Africa. A small species that is unusual in that its venom includes a major neurotoxin...	(Linnaeus Carolus Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature... , 1758)	0	Berg adder	Isolated populations in the mountainous areas of southern Africa Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN... : the Inyanga Highlands and Chimanimani Mountains Chimanimani, Zimbabwe Chimanimani is a mountainous area in the province of Manicaland, eastern Zimbabwe. The area is the southernmost section of the Eastern Highlands, 150 km from the town of Mutare , and much of it constitutes a National Park... of eastern Zimbabwe and nearby Mozambique, in South Africa along the Drakensberg Escarpments Drakensberg The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to in height. In Zulu, it is referred to as uKhahlamba , and in Sesotho as Maluti . Its geological history lends it a distinctive character amongst the mountain ranges of the world... in the provinces of Transvaal, western Natal Natal Province Natal was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu... , Lesotho Lesotho Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave — entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over 30,000 km² in size with an estimated population of almost 1,800,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is the southernmost... and eastern Free State Free State The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Orange Free State Boer republic. The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans were abolished and included into the... , and in the southern coastal mountains of western and eastern Cape Province Cape Province The Cape of Good Hope Province was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa... .
B. caudalis Bitis caudalis Bitis caudalis is a venomous viper species found in the arid region of south-west Africa. Easily distinguished by the presence of a single, large horn-like scale over each eye. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:...	(Smith Andrew Smith (zoologist) Sir Andrew Smith KCB was a Scottish surgeon, naturalist, explorer and zoologist.Smith was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire. He obtained a good education by diligence and hard work and qualified in medicine at Edinburgh University obtaining an M.D... , 1839)	0	Horned adder	The arid region of south-west Africa: south-west Angola, Namibia, across the Kalahari Desert Kalahari Desert The Kalahari Desert is a large arid to semi-arid sandy area in Southern Africa extending , covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa, as semi-desert, with huge tracts of excellent grazing after good rains. The Kalahari Desert is the southern part of Africa, and the geography... of southern Botswana, into northern Transvaal Transvaal The Transvaal is the name of an area of northern South Africa. Originally the bulk of the independent Boer South African Republic, after the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902 it became the Transvaal Colony, and one of the founding provinces of the Union of South Africa, with its regional capital in... and southwestern Zimbabwe. In South Africa it is found from the northern Cape Province south to the Great Karoo.
B. cornuta Bitis cornuta Bitis cornuta is a venomous viper species found in certain rocky desert areas, mostly along the Atlantic coast of southern Africa. They have a characteristic tuft of horns above each eye. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Description: Small...	(Daudin François Marie Daudin François Marie Daudin was a French zoologist.With legs paralyzed by childhood disease, he studied of physics and natural history, but ended up being devoted to the latter.Daudin wrote in 1799–1800... , 1803)	1	Many-horned adder	The coastal region of south-west Namibia through west and south-west Cape Province in South Africa. There are also a few isolated populations in eastern Cape Province.
B. gabonica Bitis gabonica Bitis gabonica is a venomous viper species found in the rainforests and savannas of Sub-Saharan Africa. This is not only the largest member of the genus Bitis, but also the world's heaviest viperid and it has the longest fangs and the highest venom yield of any venomous snake...	(Duméril André Marie Constant Duméril André Marie Constant Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology... , Bibron Gabriel Bibron Gabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant Duméril.... & Duméril Auguste Duméril Auguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist... , 1854)	1	Gaboon viper	Guinea, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, Central African Republic, southern Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, eastern Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, eastern Zimbabwe, Mozambique, northeast KwaZulu-Natal Province KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994 the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and all pieces of territory that made up the homeland of KwaZulu.... in South Africa.
B. heraldica Bitis heraldica Bitis heraldica is a venomous viper species found only in Angola. Easily distinguished from B. caudalis by its heavily speckled belly and lack of any supraocular horns. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...	(Bocage José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage was a Portuguese zoologist and politician. He was the curator of Zoology at the Museum of Natural History in Lisbon. He published numerous works on mammals, birds, and fishes. In the 1880s he became the Minister of the Navy and later the Minister for Foreign Affairs... , 1889)	0	Angolan adder	The high plateau of central Angola.
B. inornata Bitis inornata Bitis inornata is a venomous viper species found only in Cape Province, South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...	(Smith, 1838)	0	Plain mountain adder	Isolated population on the Sneeuberg, eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
B. nasicornis Bitis nasicornis Bitis nasicornis is a venomous viper species found in the forests of West and Central Africa. A big viper known for its striking color pattern and prominent horns on its nose. No subspecies are recognized.-Description:...	(Shaw George Shaw George Shaw was an English botanist and zoologist.Shaw was born at Bierton, Buckinghamshire and was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, receiving his M.A. in 1772. He took up the profession of medical practitioner. In 1786 he became the assistant lecturer in botany at Oxford University... , 1792)	0	Rhinoceros viper	From Guinea to Ghana in West Africa West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries distributed over an area of approximately 5 million square km:*Benin... , and in Central Africa Central Africa Central Africa is a core region of the African continent often considered to include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda.... in the Central African Republic, southern Sudan, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, DR Congo, Angola, Rwanda, Uganda and western Kenya.
B. parviocula Bitis parviocula Bitis parviocula is a venomous viper species found only in south-west Ethiopia. It is large with a broad head and spectacular geometric markings. In 1995, the species was known from only three specimens. Consequently, nothing is known about its natural history or its venom. No subspecies are...	Böhme, 1977	0	Ethiopian mountain adder	Known from only three localities in the highlands to south-west Ethiopia Ethiopia Ethiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Its size is 1,100,000 km² with an... , at altitudes of 2000-3000 m.
B. peringueyi Bitis peringueyi Bitis peringueyi is a venomous viper species found in Namibia and southern Angola. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:A small snake with an average length of 20-25 cm and a maximum recorded length of 32 cm....	(Boulenger George Albert Boulenger George Albert Boulenger was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:... , 1888)	0	Peringuey's desert adder	The Namib Desert Namib Desert The Namib Desert is a desert in Namibia and southwest Angola which forms part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park. The name "Namib" is of Nama origin.... from southern Angola to Lüderitz, Namibia.
B. rubida Bitis rubida Bitis rubida is a venomous viper species found only in Western Cape Province, South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...	Branch, 1997	0	Red adder	Several isolated populations in the northern Cape Fold Mountains and inland escarpment in Western Cape Province, South Africa.
B. schneideri Bitis schneideri Bitis schneideri is a venomous viper species found in a small coastal region that straddles the border between Namibia and South Africa. This is the smallest species in the genus Bitis and possibly the world's smallest viperid...	(Boettger Oskar Boettger Oskar Boettger ; was a German zoologist who was a native of Frankfurt am Main. He was an uncle to noted malacologist Caesar Rudolf Boettger {1888-1976).... , 1886)	0	Namaqua dwarf adder	White coastal sand dunes from Namibia, near Lüderitz Lüderitz Lüderitz is a small harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :... , south to Hondeklip Bay, Little Namaqualand Namaqualand Namaqualand is an arid region of South Africa, extending along the west coast over and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the north... , South Africa.
B. worthingtoni Bitis worthingtoni Bitis worthingtoni is a venomous viper species found only in the high central Rift Valley of Kenya. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:Restricted to Kenya's high central Rift Valley at altitudes over 1,500 m...	Parker, 1932	0	Kenyan horned viper	Restricted to Kenya's high central Rift Valley at altitudes over 1500 m.
B. xeropaga Bitis xeropaga Bitis xeropaga is a venomous viper species found in southern Namibia and north-western Cape Province in South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:Adults average 40-50 cm in length, with a maximum of 61 cm for a female....	Haacke, 1975	0	Desert mountain adder	North-western Cape Province in South Africa and the arid mountains of the lower Orange River basin, north into to southern Namibia and Great Namaqualand Namaqualand Namaqualand is an arid region of South Africa, extending along the west coast over and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the north... as far as Aus.

: India Antiserum Africa Polyvalent. In the past, such antivenoms have been used to treat bites from other Bitis species, but with mixed results.

Species

Species Taxon author Subsp.* Common name Geographic range
B. arietans
Bitis arietans
Bitis arietans is a venomous viper species found in savannah and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rain forest regions. Its wide distribution, common occurrence, large size, potent venom, and willingness to bite make it responsible for more...

^T (Merrem
Blasius Merrem
Blasius Merrem was a German naturalist.Merrem was born at Bremen, and studied at the university of Göttingen under Johann Friedrich Blumenbach. He developed an interest in zoology, particularly ornithology...

, 1820) 1 Puff adder Most of sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...

south to the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of South Africa. There is a very common misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa and the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, but in fact the southernmost point is Cape Agulhas, about...

, including southern Morocco
Morocco
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...

, Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania , officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country in northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, by Senegal on the southwest, by Mali on the east and southeast, by Algeria on the northeast, and by the Morocco-controlled Western Sahara on the northwest...

, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south, and it also encircles The Gambia on its three sides,...

, Mali
Mali
Mali, officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked nation in Western Africa. Mali is the seventh largest country in Africa, bordering Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west...

, southern Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country located in North Africa. It is the largest country on the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world in terms of land area.It is bordered by Tunisia in...

, Guinea
Guinea
Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa formerly known as French Guinea . The country's current population is estimated at 10,211,437 ....

, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea in the north, Liberia in the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has a population estimated at 6.4 million...

, Ivory Coast, Ghana
Ghana
The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa which borders Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...

, Togo
Togo
Togo is a country in West Africa bordering Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located...

, Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north; its short coastline to the south leads to the Bight of Benin....

, Niger
Niger
Niger , officially the Republic of Niger is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...

, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger...

, Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...

, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area...

, Cameroon
Cameroon
The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of...

, Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa...

, northern, eastern and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country located in Central Africa, with a small length of Atlantic coastline. It is the third largest country in Africa...

, Uganda
Uganda
The Republic of Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by Tanzania...

, Kenya
Kenya
The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...

, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Republic of Somalia and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a country located in the Horn of Africa...

, Rwanda
Rwanda
The Republic of Rwanda is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of east-central Africa, bordered by Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. Home to approaching 10 million people, Rwanda supports the densest population in continental Africa, most of whom...

, Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi, is a country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its size is just under 28,000 km² with an estimated population of...

, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in central East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.The United...

, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean. The exclave province of Cabinda has a border with the Republic of the...

, Zambia
Zambia
The Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is...

, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by...

, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. It was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498...

, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe , is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers...

, Botswana
Botswana
The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Citizens of Botswana are called "Batswana" , regardless of ethnicity. Formerly a British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...

, Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in Southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the east, and South Africa to the south and east...

, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...

. Also occurs on the Arabian peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula , Arabia, Arabistan, and the Arabian subcontinent is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia...

, where it is found in southwestern Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia , is an Arab country and the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south...

and Yemen
Yemen
Yemen , officially the Republic of Yemen is a country located on the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia...

.
B. atropos
Bitis atropos
Bitis atropos is a venomous viper species found only in three mountainous regions in southern Africa. A small species that is unusual in that its venom includes a major neurotoxin...

(Linnaeus
Carolus Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature...

, 1758) 0 Berg adder Isolated populations in the mountainous areas of southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...

: the Inyanga Highlands and Chimanimani Mountains
Chimanimani, Zimbabwe
Chimanimani is a mountainous area in the province of Manicaland, eastern Zimbabwe. The area is the southernmost section of the Eastern Highlands, 150 km from the town of Mutare , and much of it constitutes a National Park...

of eastern Zimbabwe and nearby Mozambique, in South Africa along the Drakensberg Escarpments
Drakensberg
The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to in height. In Zulu, it is referred to as uKhahlamba , and in Sesotho as Maluti . Its geological history lends it a distinctive character amongst the mountain ranges of the world...

in the provinces of Transvaal, western Natal
Natal Province
Natal was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...

, Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave — entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over 30,000 km² in size with an estimated population of almost 1,800,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is the southernmost...

and eastern Free State
Free State
The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Orange Free State Boer republic. The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans were abolished and included into the...

, and in the southern coastal mountains of western and eastern Cape Province
Cape Province
The Cape of Good Hope Province was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...

.
B. caudalis
Bitis caudalis
Bitis caudalis is a venomous viper species found in the arid region of south-west Africa. Easily distinguished by the presence of a single, large horn-like scale over each eye. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:...

(Smith
Andrew Smith (zoologist)
Sir Andrew Smith KCB was a Scottish surgeon, naturalist, explorer and zoologist.Smith was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire. He obtained a good education by diligence and hard work and qualified in medicine at Edinburgh University obtaining an M.D...

, 1839) 0 Horned adder The arid region of south-west Africa: south-west Angola, Namibia, across the Kalahari Desert
Kalahari Desert
The Kalahari Desert is a large arid to semi-arid sandy area in Southern Africa extending , covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa, as semi-desert, with huge tracts of excellent grazing after good rains. The Kalahari Desert is the southern part of Africa, and the geography...

of southern Botswana, into northern Transvaal
Transvaal
The Transvaal is the name of an area of northern South Africa. Originally the bulk of the independent Boer South African Republic, after the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902 it became the Transvaal Colony, and one of the founding provinces of the Union of South Africa, with its regional capital in...

and southwestern Zimbabwe. In South Africa it is found from the northern Cape Province south to the Great Karoo.
B. cornuta
Bitis cornuta
Bitis cornuta is a venomous viper species found in certain rocky desert areas, mostly along the Atlantic coast of southern Africa. They have a characteristic tuft of horns above each eye. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Description: Small...

(Daudin
François Marie Daudin
François Marie Daudin was a French zoologist.With legs paralyzed by childhood disease, he studied of physics and natural history, but ended up being devoted to the latter.Daudin wrote in 1799–1800...

, 1803) 1 Many-horned adder The coastal region of south-west Namibia through west and south-west Cape Province in South Africa. There are also a few isolated populations in eastern Cape Province.
B. gabonica
Bitis gabonica
Bitis gabonica is a venomous viper species found in the rainforests and savannas of Sub-Saharan Africa. This is not only the largest member of the genus Bitis, but also the world's heaviest viperid and it has the longest fangs and the highest venom yield of any venomous snake...

(Duméril
André Marie Constant Duméril
André Marie Constant Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology...

, Bibron
Gabriel Bibron
Gabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant Duméril....

& Duméril
Auguste Duméril
Auguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...

, 1854) 1 Gaboon viper Guinea, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, Central African Republic, southern Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, eastern Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, eastern Zimbabwe, Mozambique, northeast KwaZulu-Natal Province
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994 the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and all pieces of territory that made up the homeland of KwaZulu....

in South Africa.
B. heraldica
Bitis heraldica
Bitis heraldica is a venomous viper species found only in Angola. Easily distinguished from B. caudalis by its heavily speckled belly and lack of any supraocular horns. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...

(Bocage
José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage
José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage was a Portuguese zoologist and politician. He was the curator of Zoology at the Museum of Natural History in Lisbon. He published numerous works on mammals, birds, and fishes. In the 1880s he became the Minister of the Navy and later the Minister for Foreign Affairs...

, 1889) 0 Angolan adder The high plateau of central Angola.
B. inornata
Bitis inornata
Bitis inornata is a venomous viper species found only in Cape Province, South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...

(Smith, 1838) 0 Plain mountain adder Isolated population on the Sneeuberg, eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
B. nasicornis
Bitis nasicornis
Bitis nasicornis is a venomous viper species found in the forests of West and Central Africa. A big viper known for its striking color pattern and prominent horns on its nose. No subspecies are recognized.-Description:...

(Shaw
George Shaw
George Shaw was an English botanist and zoologist.Shaw was born at Bierton, Buckinghamshire and was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, receiving his M.A. in 1772. He took up the profession of medical practitioner. In 1786 he became the assistant lecturer in botany at Oxford University...

, 1792) 0 Rhinoceros viper From Guinea to Ghana in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries distributed over an area of approximately 5 million square km:*Benin...

, and in Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent often considered to include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....

in the Central African Republic, southern Sudan, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, DR Congo, Angola, Rwanda, Uganda and western Kenya.
B. parviocula
Bitis parviocula
Bitis parviocula is a venomous viper species found only in south-west Ethiopia. It is large with a broad head and spectacular geometric markings. In 1995, the species was known from only three specimens. Consequently, nothing is known about its natural history or its venom. No subspecies are...

Böhme, 1977 0 Ethiopian mountain adder Known from only three localities in the highlands to south-west Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Its size is 1,100,000 km² with an...

, at altitudes of 2000-3000 m.
B. peringueyi
Bitis peringueyi
Bitis peringueyi is a venomous viper species found in Namibia and southern Angola. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:A small snake with an average length of 20-25 cm and a maximum recorded length of 32 cm....

(Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...

, 1888) 0 Peringuey's desert adder The Namib Desert
Namib Desert
The Namib Desert is a desert in Namibia and southwest Angola which forms part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park. The name "Namib" is of Nama origin....

from southern Angola to Lüderitz, Namibia.
B. rubida
Bitis rubida
Bitis rubida is a venomous viper species found only in Western Cape Province, South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...

Branch, 1997 0 Red adder Several isolated populations in the northern Cape Fold Mountains and inland escarpment in Western Cape Province, South Africa.
B. schneideri
Bitis schneideri
Bitis schneideri is a venomous viper species found in a small coastal region that straddles the border between Namibia and South Africa. This is the smallest species in the genus Bitis and possibly the world's smallest viperid...

(Boettger
Oskar Boettger
Oskar Boettger ; was a German zoologist who was a native of Frankfurt am Main. He was an uncle to noted malacologist Caesar Rudolf Boettger {1888-1976)....

, 1886) 0 Namaqua dwarf adder White coastal sand dunes from Namibia, near Lüderitz
Lüderitz
Lüderitz is a small harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :...

, south to Hondeklip Bay, Little Namaqualand
Namaqualand
Namaqualand is an arid region of South Africa, extending along the west coast over and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the north...

, South Africa.
B. worthingtoni
Bitis worthingtoni
Bitis worthingtoni is a venomous viper species found only in the high central Rift Valley of Kenya. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:Restricted to Kenya's high central Rift Valley at altitudes over 1,500 m...

Parker, 1932 0 Kenyan horned viper Restricted to Kenya's high central Rift Valley at altitudes over 1500 m.
B. xeropaga
Bitis xeropaga
Bitis xeropaga is a venomous viper species found in southern Namibia and north-western Cape Province in South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:Adults average 40-50 cm in length, with a maximum of 61 cm for a female....

Haacke, 1975 0 Desert mountain adder North-western Cape Province in South Africa and the arid mountains of the lower Orange River basin, north into to southern Namibia and Great Namaqualand
Namaqualand
Namaqualand is an arid region of South Africa, extending along the west coast over and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the north...

as far as Aus.

*) Not including the nominate subspecies.

^T) Type species

Type species

In taxonomy, a type species is a technical phrase, involved in the application of formal names...

Taxonomy

Other species may be encountered in literature, such as:

B. albanica - Hewitt, 1937
B. armata - Smith, 1826

Lenk et al. (1999) used molecular data (immunological distances and mitochondrial DNA sequences) to estimate the phylogenetic relationships among species of Bitis. They identified four major monophyletic groups for which they created four subgenera

Subgenus

In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. See rank and rank .In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic and specific name: e.g...

Bitis - B. arietans
Bitis arietans
Bitis arietans is a venomous viper species found in savannah and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rain forest regions. Its wide distribution, common occurrence, large size, potent venom, and willingness to bite make it responsible for more...
Calechidna - B. albanica, B. armata, B. atropos
Bitis atropos
Bitis atropos is a venomous viper species found only in three mountainous regions in southern Africa. A small species that is unusual in that its venom includes a major neurotoxin...

, B. caudalis
Bitis caudalis
Bitis caudalis is a venomous viper species found in the arid region of south-west Africa. Easily distinguished by the presence of a single, large horn-like scale over each eye. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:...

, B. cornuta
Bitis cornuta
Bitis cornuta is a venomous viper species found in certain rocky desert areas, mostly along the Atlantic coast of southern Africa. They have a characteristic tuft of horns above each eye. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Description: Small...

, B. heraldica
Bitis heraldica
Bitis heraldica is a venomous viper species found only in Angola. Easily distinguished from B. caudalis by its heavily speckled belly and lack of any supraocular horns. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...

, B. inorata
Bitis inornata
Bitis inornata is a venomous viper species found only in Cape Province, South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...

, B. peringueyi
Bitis peringueyi
Bitis peringueyi is a venomous viper species found in Namibia and southern Angola. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:A small snake with an average length of 20-25 cm and a maximum recorded length of 32 cm....

, B. rubida
Bitis rubida
Bitis rubida is a venomous viper species found only in Western Cape Province, South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...

, B. schneideri
Bitis schneideri
Bitis schneideri is a venomous viper species found in a small coastal region that straddles the border between Namibia and South Africa. This is the smallest species in the genus Bitis and possibly the world's smallest viperid...

, B. xeropaga
Bitis xeropaga
Bitis xeropaga is a venomous viper species found in southern Namibia and north-western Cape Province in South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:Adults average 40-50 cm in length, with a maximum of 61 cm for a female....
Macrocerastes - B. gabonica
Bitis gabonica
Bitis gabonica is a venomous viper species found in the rainforests and savannas of Sub-Saharan Africa. This is not only the largest member of the genus Bitis, but also the world's heaviest viperid and it has the longest fangs and the highest venom yield of any venomous snake...

, B. nasicornis
Bitis nasicornis
Bitis nasicornis is a venomous viper species found in the forests of West and Central Africa. A big viper known for its striking color pattern and prominent horns on its nose. No subspecies are recognized.-Description:...

, B. parviocula
Bitis parviocula
Bitis parviocula is a venomous viper species found only in south-west Ethiopia. It is large with a broad head and spectacular geometric markings. In 1995, the species was known from only three specimens. Consequently, nothing is known about its natural history or its venom. No subspecies are...
Keniabitis - B. worthingtoni
Bitis worthingtoni
Bitis worthingtoni is a venomous viper species found only in the high central Rift Valley of Kenya. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Geographic range:Restricted to Kenya's high central Rift Valley at altitudes over 1,500 m...

For now, this division is of little consequence as far as the nomenclature is concerned. However, the definition of subgenera within a genus is often the sign of an impending split. Therefore, anyone interested in these snakes would do well to familiarize themselves with these new subgenera.

External links

Southern adder (Bitis armata) at ARKive. Accessed 5 October 2006.