Amazonian Toadhead (Bothrocophias hyoprora)

Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Viperidae | Bothrocophias hyoprora

English common names: Amazonian Toadhead, Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper, Amazonian Hog-nosed Viper, Amazonian Hognose Viper.

Spanish common names: Nariz de puerco, hocico de puerco (Ecuador); sapa, equis sapa (Colombia); jergón pudridora, yatutu (Peru).

Recognition: ♂♂ 65.1 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. ♀♀ 86 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail.. The Amazonian Toad-headed Pitviper (Botrocophias hyoprora) can be identified by having a triangular-shaped head, heat-sensing pits between the eyes and nostrils, a stout body, non-prehensile tail, upturned snout, and tubercular keels on the dorsal scales.^1,2 The dorsal color may be reddish brown, dark brown, reddish orange, yellowish, or gray, with 14–19 dark trapezoidal or rectangular dorsal blotches.^1,3 Bothrocophias hyoprora can be distinguished from the similar B. microphthalmus by having a pattern of trapezoidal blotches rather than X-shaped markings, and by having entire subcaudal scales.^1,3 Bothrops atrox and B. brazili can be separated from B. hyoprora by lacking an upturned snout.³

Variation among individuals of Bothrocophias hyoprora

Figure 1: Individuals of Bothrocophias hyoprora from Gareno, Napo province, Ecuador (); Curaray medio, Pastaza province, Ecuador (); and Macuma, Morona Santiago province, Ecuador (). j=juvenile.

Natural history: UncommonUnlikely to be seen more than once every few months.. Bothrocophias hyoprora is a cryptozoic (preferring moist, shaded microhabitats) snake of forested environments. It occurs mainly in old-growth to moderately disturbed terra-firme (not seasonally flooded) and partially flooded evergreen lowland forests but may as well be found in forest borders and human-modified areas such as crops.^1–3 Amazonian Toad-headed Pitvipers inhabit areas having an annual mean temperature of ~20–27° C and a mean precipitation of 1659–4227 mm.⁴ Amazonian Toadheads are most active during the first hours after sunset,^1,2 waiting in ambush, moving on the forest floor, and occasionally crossing roads and trails.^1,5 During the day, individuals often stay quiet, hidden from sun exposure in leaf-litter, under trunks, among roots, or at the base of trees.^1,2,5 There are records of individuals perched on vegetation up to 5 m above the ground.⁶

Amazonian Toadheads are ambush predators. When prey is nearby, they “bite and release,” subsequently following the scent trail of the envenomed animal and finally proceed to eat it.¹ Their diet consists primarily (41.5%) on lizards (including Alopoglossus atriventris and Potamites ecpleopus), but also on small mammals like rodents and marsupials (25%), frogs such as Allobates femoralis and Hyloxalus yasuni (25%), and centipedes (8.3%).^1,7,8–11 They also occasionally include snakes in their diet.¹²

Individuals of Bothrocophias hyoprora rely on camouflage as their primary defense mechanism.¹ They are not aggressive, but calm and sluggish when confronted.³ When threatened, most individuals will try to flee or hide, while others will vigorously vibrate the tail against the substrate.^1,7 Little is known about the predators of Amazonian Toadhead Pitvipers. The only recorded predator is the Slate-colored Hawk (Buteogallus schistaceus).¹

Bothrocophias hyoprora is a venomous snake, but human envenomations caused by this species are infrequent, representing no more than 0.35–12.5% of the total number of snakebites at any given locality.^13,14 Most reported envenomations have occurred in indigenous communities.¹⁵ The venom of B. hyoprora is necrotic, hemolytic, and cytotoxic.^1,13,16 In humans, the venom causes intense pain, swelling, loss of consciousness, necrosis (death of tissues and cells), intense bleeding, and, in some cases, death.^1,15

What to do if you are bitten by a Amazonian Toadhead?

Remain calm.
Remove rings and tight fitting clothes to avoid swelling.
Reduce movement of bitten extremity to reduce absorption of venom.
Avoid the application of tourniquets, electric shocks, traditional medicine, venom suction, and incision of the bite wound.
Plan immediate evacuation to a medical facility that has antivenom and avoid any action that may delay transportation.
At the medical facility, personnel can initiate treatment with the appropriate antivenom, monitor vital signs, and perform laboratory tests.

Females of Bothrocophias hyoprora “give birth” (the eggs hatch within the mother) to 4–13 neonates that measure 14.8–19 cm in total length.^1,2 One gravid female in Ecuador was found to contain 21 embryos.⁵ Under human care, one adult female lived for about eight years.¹

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Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances.. Bothrocophias hyoprora has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN. In Ecuador, the species is listed as Least Concern¹⁷ because it is widely distributed throughout the Amazon basin, an area that retains the majority of its original forest cover. It is estimated that 88.5% of the species’ area of distribution in Ecuador still holds rainforest habitat.¹⁸ Bothrocophias hyoprora is also listed in this category because it occurs in large protected areas (such as Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve and Yasuní National Park). The most important threat to the long-term survival of populations of this pitviper species is forest destruction due to mining and the expansion of the agricultural frontier.¹⁹

Distribution: Bothrocophias hyoprora is native to an estimated ~513,480 km² area throughout the Amazon basin in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Perú.²⁰ In Ecuador, the species occurs at elevations between 122 and 981 m (Fig. 2).

Figure 2: Distribution of Bothrocophias hyoprora in Ecuador. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.

Etymology: The generic name Bothrocophias, which is derived from the Greek words bothros (meaning “pit”) and kophias (meaning “snake”), refers to the heat-sensing pits between the eyes and nostrils.³ The specific epithet hyoprora, which is derived from the Greek words hyos (meaning “hog”) and prora (meaning “snout”), refers to the prominent upturned snout.³

See it in the wild: Amazonian Toad-headed Pitvipers can be located with ~1–3% certainty in forested areas throughout the species distribution in Ecuador. Some of the best localities to find vipers of this species are Yasuní Scientific Station, Shiripuno Lodge, Jatun Sacha Biological Reserve, and Tiputini Biodiversity Station. These vipers are most easily located by scanning the leaf-litter along trails in primary forest at night.

Acknowledgments: Special thanks to Darwin Núñez, Ernesto Arbeláez, Jorge Vaca, and María Elena Barragán for providing locality data and natural history information for Bothrocophias hyoprora. Thanks to Ernesto Arbeláez (Bioparque Amaru) and María Elena Barragán (Vivarium Quito) for providing photographic access to live specimens under their care.

Special thanks to Maurice Fakkert for symbolically adopting the Amazonian Toadhead and helping bring the Reptiles of Ecuador book project to life.

Click here to adopt a species.

Authors: Andrés F. Aponte-Gutiérrez,^aAffiliation: Grupo de Biodiversidad y Recursos Genéticos, Instituto de Genética, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.^,^bAffiliation: Fundación Biodiversa Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia. Juan Acosta-Ortiz,^cAffiliation: Universidad de los Llanos. Villavicencio, Colombia. and Leonardo Niño-Cárdenas^dAffiliation: Laboratorio de Anfibios, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.

Editor: Alejandro Arteaga^eAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.

Photographers: Jose Vieira^eAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.^,^fAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador. and Alejandro Arteaga^eAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.

How to cite? Aponte-Gutiérrez A, Acosta-Ortiz J, Niño-Cárdenas L (2020) Amazonian Toadhead (Bothrocophias hyoprora). In: Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Vieira J (Eds) Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Available from: www.reptilesofecuador.com. DOI: 10.47051/RICT3003

Literature cited:

Valencia JH, Garzón-Tello K, Barragán-Paladines ME (2016) Serpientes venenosas del Ecuador: sistemática, taxonomía, historial natural, conservación, envenenamiento y aspectos antropológicos. Fundación Herpetológica Gustavo Orcés, Quito, 653 pp.
Cisneros-Heredia DF, Borja MO, Proaño D, Touzet JM (2006) Distribution and natural history of the Ecuadorian toad-headed pitvipers of the genus Bothrocophias. Herpetozoa 19: 17–26.
Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004) The venomous reptiles of the western hemisphere. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 774 pp.
Vaca-Guerrero JE (2012) Biogeografía del género Bothrocophias (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae), mediante modelamientos de nicho ecológico. BSc Thesis, Universidad Central del Ecuador, 116 pp.
Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
Photographic record by Bryan Suson.
Dixon JR, Soini P (1986) The reptiles of the upper Amazon Basin, Iquitos region, Peru. Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, 154 pp.
Martins M, Marques OAV, Sazima I (2002) Ecological and phylogenetic correlates of feeding habits in Neotropical pitvipers of the genus Bothrops. In: Schuett GW, Höggren M, Douglas ME, Greene HW (Eds) Biology of the vipers. Eagle Mountain Publishing, Eagle Mountain, 307–328.
Niceforo M (1938) Las serpientes colombianas de hocico proboscidiforme, grupo Bothrops lansbergii-nasuta-hyoprora. Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales 2: 417–421.
Santos JC, Cannatella DC (2011) Phenotypic integration emerges from aposematism and scale in poison frogs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108: 6175-6180. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1010952108
Bernarde PS, Ferreira-Martins LS, Rodríguez-Oliveira J (2008) Bothrocophias hyoprora. Diet. Herpetological Review 39: 353.
De Carvalho DT, de Fraga R, Eler ES, Kawashita-Ribeiro RA, Feldberg E, Vogt RC, De Carvalho MA, De Noronha JDC, Condrati LH, Bittencourt S (2013) Toad-headed pitviper Bothrocophias hyoprora (Amaral, 1935) (Serpentes, Viperidae): new records of geographic range in Brazil, hemipenial morphology, and chromosomal characterization. Herpetological Review 44: 410–414.
Silva Haad J (1989) Las serpientes del genero Bothrops en la amazonia colombiana: aspectos biomedicos (epidemiologia, clinica y biologia del ofidismo). Acta Médica Colombiana 14: 148–165.
Touzet JM (1986) Mordeduras de ofidios venenosos en la comunidad de los indígenas Siona-Secoya de San Pablo de Kantesyia y datos sobre la fauna de reptiles y anfibios locales. Publicaciones del Museo Ecuadoriano de Ciencias Naturales 7: 163–190.
Warrell DA (2004) Snakebites in Central and South America: epidemiology, clinical features, and clinical management. In: Campbell JA, Lamar WW (Eds) The Venomous reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 709–761.
Bonilla C, Zavaleta A (1997) Estudio bioquímico del veneno de la serpiente Bothrops hyoprorus. Revista de Medicina Experimental 14: 18–32.
Carrillo E, Aldás A, Altamirano M, Ayala F, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Endara A, Márquez C, Morales M, Nogales F, Salvador P, Torres ML, Valencia J, Villamarín F, Yánez-Muñoz M, Zárate P (2005) Lista roja de los reptiles del Ecuador. Fundación Novum Millenium, Quito, 46 pp.
MAE (2012) Línea base de deforestación del Ecuador continental. Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador, Quito, 30 pp.
Valencia JH, Barragán ME, Garzón K, Vargas A (2010) Reporte preliminar de mordedura de vipéridos en la provincia de Manabí, y notas sobre las áreas epidemiológicas con mayor concentración de serpientes venenosas. Gestión Ambiental 2: 9–13.
Nogueira CC, Argôlo AJS, Arzamendia V, Azevedo JA, Barbo FE, Bérnils RS, Bolochio BE, Borges-Martins M, Brasil-Godinho M, Braz H, Buononato MA, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Colli GR, Costa HC, Franco FL, Giraudo A, Gonzalez RC, Guedes T, Hoogmoed MS, Marques OAV, Montingelli GG, Passos P, Prudente ALC, Rivas GA, Sanchez PM, Serrano FC, Silva NJ, Strüssmann C, Vieira-Alencar JPS, Zaher H, Sawaya RJ, Martins M (2019) Atlas of Brazilian snakes: verified point-locality maps to mitigate the Wallacean shortfall in a megadiverse snake fauna. South American Journal of Herpetology 14: 1–274. DOI: 10.2994/SAJH-D-19-00120.1

Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Bothrocophias hyoprora in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.

Country	Province	Locality	Source
Colombia	Caquetá	Bocana Canelos	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Colombia	Caquetá	Los Ángeles	Sinchi Institute 2017
Colombia	Caquetá	Solano	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Colombia	Cauca	Churumbelos	MHNUC
Colombia	Cauca	Santa Rosa	Nogueira et al. 2019
Colombia	Putumayo	E Puerto Asís	iNaturalist
Colombia	Putumayo	Near Río Patascoy	iNaturalist
Colombia	Putumayo	Río Juanambu	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Colombia	Putumayo	RN La Isla Escondida	RN La Isla Escondida
Colombia	Putumayo	Vereda Las Vegas	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Colombia	Putumayo	Vereda Peneya	Photo by Brayan Coral Jaramillo
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	10 de Agosto	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	24 de Mayo	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	4 km NE of Andush	Cisneros-Heredia et al. 2006
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Amazonas	Cisneros-Heredia et al. 2006
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Centro Shuar Kenkuim	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Centro Shuar Kiim	Cisneros-Heredia et al. 2006
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Chuwints	Cisneros-Heredia et al. 2006
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Cusuime	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	E Puerto Morona	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	El Tiink	Photo by Germán Petsain
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Huamboya, Chiguaza	USNM 165315
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Macuma	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Mutintz	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Paantim	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Quebrada Yuwints	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Río Palora at 800 m	Photo by Jorge Brito
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	San Pedro	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Taisha	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Timias	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Tiwintza	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Tunants	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Wisui	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Yawints	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Napo	Gareno Lodge	This work
Ecuador	Napo	Jatun Sacha	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Napo	Near Huamaní	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Napo	Pangayacu	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Napo	Puerto Napo	UIMNH 55926
Ecuador	Napo	Río Suno	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Napo	S of Chontapunta 1	iNaturalist
Ecuador	Napo	S of Chontapunta 2	iNaturalist
Ecuador	Napo	Yachana Reserve	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Ecuador	Napo	Yuralpa	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Chiruisla	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Dicaro	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	El Edén	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Guiyero	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Joya de los Sachas	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Ecuador	Orellana	Loreto	USNM 165313
Ecuador	Orellana	N of Yasuní Scientific Station	iNaturalist
Ecuador	Orellana	Nenkepare	This work
Ecuador	Orellana	NPF	Paulina Romero, pers. comm.
Ecuador	Orellana	NPF–Tivacuno, km 8 1/2	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Pompeya Sur–NPF	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Pozo Capirón	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	San José de Payamino	Photo by Ross Maynard
Ecuador	Orellana	SE Sumaco	USNM 165311
Ecuador	Orellana	Shiripuno Lodge	Photo by Bryan Suson
Ecuador	Orellana	Sinchichicta	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Souther part of YNP	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Ecuador	Orellana	Tiputini Biodiversity Station	iNaturalist
Ecuador	Orellana	Vía Pompeya Sur-Iro, km 38	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Vía Pompeya Sur–Iro, km 28	Cisneros-Heredia et al. 2006
Ecuador	Orellana	Vía Pompeya Sur–Iro, km 99	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Yasuní Scientific Station	This work
Ecuador	Pastaza	Alto Curaray	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Balsaura	Ortega-Andrade 2010
Ecuador	Pastaza	Cabeceras del Bobonaza	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Campo Oglán	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Canelos	USNM 165306
Ecuador	Pastaza	Conambo	USNM 165302
Ecuador	Pastaza	Curaray Medio	This work
Ecuador	Pastaza	Iwia (Achuar)	Peñafiel 2013
Ecuador	Pastaza	Juyuintza	Ortega-Andrade 2010
Ecuador	Pastaza	Kurintza	Ortega-Andrade 2010
Ecuador	Pastaza	Montalvo	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	North of Kapawi Lodge	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Ecuador	Pastaza	Pindoyacu	Ortega-Andrade 2010
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Capahuari	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Copataza	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Corrientes	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Oglán	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Pindo	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Shionayacu	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Tigre	USNM 165318
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Villano	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Santa Clara	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Sarayacu	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Sarayacu–Montalvo	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Ecuador	Pastaza	Upstream Río Copataza	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Ecuador	Pastaza	Upstream Río Tigre	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Ecuador	Pastaza	Uyuimi	NCI
Ecuador	Pastaza	Villano A	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Along río San Miguel	This work
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Atenas	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Between Cascales and Campo Bermejo	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Campo Andes Petroleum	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Campo Bermejo	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Dureno, north of	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Lumbaqui	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Pañacocha	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Pitsorie-Setsacco	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Reserva Cofán-Dureno	iNaturalist
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Río Aguarico near Cuyabeno	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Sacha Lodge	Photo by Bryan Suson
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	San Pablo de Kantesiya	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Santa Elena	QCAZ 2743
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Secoya 32	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Shirley A	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Tarapoa	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Zábalo	Photo by Juan Carlos Ríos
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Zancudococha	Cisneros-Heredia et al. 2006
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	El Pangui	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Los Encuentros	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Maycu	Darwin Núñez, pers. comm.
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Namacuntza	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Paquisha	This work
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Polvorín	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Shaime	Cisneros-Heredia et al. 2006
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Tundayme	Valencia et al. 2016
Perú	Amazonas	Caterpiza	MVZ 175374
Perú	Amazonas	Puerto Pakuy	Lomonte et al. 2020
Perú	Amazonas	Quebrada Kampankis	FMNH 2012
Perú	Loreto	Aguas Negras	FMNH 2008
Perú	Loreto	Charupa	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Perú	Loreto	Güeppí	FMNH 2008
Perú	Loreto	Lote 39	Tomba 2019
Perú	Loreto	Manseriche	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Perú	Loreto	Morona	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Perú	Loreto	NW of Pavayacu	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Perú	Loreto	Olaya–Tigre	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Perú	Loreto	Pampa Hermosa	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Perú	Loreto	Pongo Chinim	FMNH 2012
Perú	Loreto	Pozo al este de Andoas	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Perú	Loreto	Pozo al norte de Andoas	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Perú	Loreto	Pozo al sur del Río Tigre	Vaca Guerrero 2012
Perú	Loreto	S Arica	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Perú	Loreto	W Andoas	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Perú	Loreto	Zona Reservada Güepi	iNaturalist
Perú	Loreto	Zona Reservada Pucacuro 1	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Perú	Loreto	Zona Reservada Pucacuro 2	Campbell & Lamar 2004