A common South American pit viper responsible for the majority of snakebites in southeastern Brazil, source of the first ACE inhibitor drug.
Description
The jararaca is a slim, alert pit viper around 1.2 m long, patterned with dark brown trapezoidal blotches on a grey to tan background and bordered by a thin pale line. The head is broad and lance-shaped, with a distinctive dark stripe from each eye to the angle of the jaw.
Behavior
The jararaca is a nocturnal forager active in plantations and along forest edges, where it hunts small rodents and frogs. Its venom is hemotoxic and causes profuse bleeding. Research on jararaca venom led directly to captopril, the first widely prescribed blood pressure drug.
Range
Native to southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. It is one of the most clinically important snakes in Brazil and one of the species most often used in venom research at the Butantan Institute.
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