A critically endangered pit viper found only on Snake Island off the coast of Brazil, with venom potent enough to subdue migratory birds in flight.
Description
The golden lancehead is a slender, pale yellow-gold pit viper around 70 cm long with diffuse dark blotches. Both sexes carry partly developed reproductive organs of the other sex, an unusual feature that has shaped the population’s evolution on its tiny island home.
Behavior
The species hunts in low vegetation and on cliff ledges, striking migratory songbirds that rest briefly during long flights. The venom is unusually fast-acting because prey must die before flying away — it is several times more toxic than that of mainland lancehead relatives.
Range
Confined to a single Brazilian island, Ilha da Queimada Grande, about 35 km off the coast of Sao Paulo. The Brazilian Navy restricts access, and the population continues to decline due to habitat degradation and reduced bird traffic.
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