Snakes are one of the most mysterious and misunderstood creatures in the world. They appear in shapes, sizes, and colors and can be seen across the globe except for Antarctica. They can seen thriving in jungles, deserts, and backyards, they have been around for approximately 100 million years and evolved from prehistoric lizards. Here are the 10 types of snakes with horns,
Snake With Horns
1. Horned Puff Adder (Bitis caudalis)
The horned adder is a venomous viper snake mostly seen in the region of southwest Africa, in Angola, Botswana, Namibia; South Africa, and Zimbabwe. It can be easily identified with the help of a single and large horn-like scale placed over the eye. The body length is between 30 to 40 cm in length and about the bites, are very rare and no epidemiological data are available. It is also known as a horned adder or horned viper and primarily feeds on lizards, especially geckos, but the larger ones (these are typically female) prefer small rodents and birds.
Also Read: 10 Types Of Blue Snakes In The World
Image Source: Wikimedia
2. Nose-Horned Viper (Vipera ammodytes)
The Node horned viper is a venomous species found in southern Europe. The body length is between 85 to 95 cm in length and is listed as one of the most dangerous of the European vipers because of its long fangs and high venom toxicity. They are mostly seen in the regions of southern Europe through to the Balkans and parts of the Middle East. These snake species are active both in the day and night and hibernate in the winter for a period of 2 to 6 months depending on environmental conditions. The avarage lifespan of a Nose-Horned Viper is upto 22 years in the wild.
Also Read: 10 Types Of Pink Snakes In The World
Image Source: Wikipedia
3. Matilda’s Horned Viper (Atheris matildae)
The scientific name of Matilda’s Horned Viper is Atheris matildae a species of arboreal forest viper snake endemic to Tanzania. The snake species was discovered in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania during a 2010–2011 biological survey. The nature of the snake species is a nocturnal ambush predator, waiting by streams to ambush frogs.
Also Read: 21 Deadliest Snakes In The World
Image Source: NBC News
4. West African Gaboon Viper (Bitis rhinoceros)
West African Gaboon Viper is one of the popular snakes with horns mostly seen in sub-Saharan Africa. The body length is between 80 to 130 cm in length and the average weight is between 7 to 10 kg. It is also listed as the largest member of the genus Bitis and has the largest fangs of any venomous snake upto 2 inches (5 cm) in length. These snake species are solitary and primarily nocturnal creatures. The dietary habit is carnivores in nature that feed on birds and mammals, many different species of rodents, including field mice and rats, as well as hares and rabbits. The avarage lifespan of West African Gaboon Viper is upto 18 years in the wild.
Also Read: 16 Black And White Snakes In The World
Image Source: Wikipedia
5. Lataste’s Viper (Vipera latasti)
Lataste’s Viper is one of the famous snakes with horns that belongs to the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The snake species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and northwestern Maghreb. Talking about its apperance, they are grey in color and have triangular heads with a horn placed on the tip of the nose and a zig-zag pattern on its back. The primary diet includes small mammals, reptiles, arthropods, and birds. The average lifespan of Lataste’s Viper is upto 9.7 years in the wild.
Also Read: 16 Black Snakes With White Stripes
Image Source: Matthijs Hollanders
6. Rhinoceros Viper or Butterfly Viper (Bitis nasicornis)
Rhinoceros Viper scientific name Bitis nasicornis is a venomous viper snake species mostly seen in the forests of West and Central Africa. It is known for its striking coloration and prominent nasal “horns.” The body length is between 72 to 107 cm in length and common names include butterfly viper, rhinoceros viper and river jack. The primary diet includes small mammals, but in wetland habitats, they are also known to take toads, frogs, and even fish. The average lifespan of a Butterfly Viper is upto 8 years in the wild.
Also Read: 10 Types of Purple Snakes In The World
Image Source: Wikimedia
7. Madagascan Langaha or Leaf-Nosed Snake (Langaha madagascariensis)
Madagascan Langaha is a medium-sized highly cryptic arboreal snake species that is endemic to Madagascar and mostly seen in the deciduous dry forests and rain forests where vegetation is upto 1.5 to 2 meters above the ground. The body length is upto 1 meter in length. Envenomation by the snake causes severe pain in humans but is not deadly. They have sexual dimorphism within the species where males are dorsally brown and ventrally yellow with a long tapering snout while the females are mottled grey with a leaf-shaped snout.
Also Read: 20 Black Snakes With Yellow Stripes
Image Source: Wikimedia
8. Many-Horned Adder (Bitis cornuta)
The many-horned adder is a venomous viper snake species mostly seen across the Atlantic coast of southern Africa, in western South Africa and southwestern Namibia. As of now, no subspecies are currently recognized, however, they are known for their characteristic tufts of “horns” above each eye. The body length is between 30 to 50 cm in length and the maximum recorded total length is 75 cm (30 in) for a captive specimen. It prefers to thrive in dry arid habitats associated with rocky hillsides where it may shelter amongst rocks and rocky plains. The avarage lifespan of Many-Horned Adder is upto 10 years in the wild.
Also Read: 10 Snakes That Eat Frogs
Image Source: Facebook
9. Sidewinder Rattlesnake (Crotalus cerastes)
The Sidewinder Rattlesnake is one of the popular snakes with horns that belongs to the genus Crotalus (the rattlesnakes) and is mostly seen in the desert regions of North America. The body length is between 43 to 80 cm in length and the average weight is between 93.8 to 3.4 grams. They are terrestrial snakes and rarely climb into vegetation. The dietary habit is carnivores in nature and feeds on mice and rats, but also lizards, snakes, and birds. Juveniles prefer to hunt lizards. The avarage lifespan of a Sidewinder Rattlesnake is between 5 to 20 years in the wild. It is also listed as one of the animals that crawl in the world.
Also Read: 10 Different Types Of Snakes In Utah
Image Source: Wikimedia
10. Tentacle Snake (Erpeton tentaculatum)
The tentacled snake also known as the tentacle snake is a rear-fanged aquatic snake native to Southeast Asia. It is the only species of the genus Erpeton and is known for its two tentacles on its snout are a unique feature among snakes. The body length of the snake is between 50 to 90 cm in length and lives its entire life in murky water. They can stay underwater for up to 30 minutes without coming up for air. The body length is between 20 to 35 inches and the average weight is between 31 to 44 pounds. The avarage lifespan of a Tentacle Snake is between 10 to 20 years in the wild.
Also Read: 21 Cutest Snakes In The World
Image Source: Wikimedia
These are the 10 types of snakes with horns. Kindly share and do post your comments.
