A small, glittering arboreal viper of the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania, with strongly keeled scales that give it a rough armoured look.
Description
The Usambara horned bush viper is a small arboreal viper rarely over 55 cm, with strongly keeled overlapping scales, a triangular head bearing small horns above the eyes, and a prehensile tail. Colour ranges from yellow-green to brown, often with subtle dark bars.
Behavior
A patient nocturnal ambush hunter, the species hangs from low branches and shrubs and strikes downward at frogs and small lizards. The hemotoxic venom causes severe local swelling and tissue damage in humans, and bites have a slow but worrying progression of coagulopathy.
Range
Endemic to the Usambara and Uluguru Mountains of northeastern Tanzania, where it persists in fragmented patches of montane forest. Habitat loss and illegal collection for the pet trade have caused the species to be classified as Vulnerable.
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