Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this page were taken by Bert Vandebosch and José Luis Cartes and are used with permission.
PAINTED LANCEHEAD Bothropoides diporus
If you see this snake you should treat it with the utmost of respect, if you don´t you could end up paying for it with your life. This is the infamous and deadly Jarará that you hear so much about in Paraguay, but the truth is fatalities are generally rare. If bitten and you are immediately treated with anti-venin your chances of recovery are good, but you will no doubt learn not to mess with this snake, or indeed anything that looks like it again (for many harmless species mimic it as a form of defence). This species can be recognised by the opposing trapezoid shapes on the back. If you come across one let it pass in peace, do not under any circumstances try to kill it, you will only succeed in making it angry! Formerly classified in the genus Bothrops, the group was revised by Fenwick et al 2009 - Morphological and Molecular Evidence for Phylogeny and Classification of South American Pitvipers, Genera Bothrops, Bothriopsis and Bothrocophias (Serpentes: Viperidae) . Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 156: p617-640.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPREP344PH) Adult, Estancia Golondrina, Departamento Presidente Hayes (José Luis Cartes 1996).
FIGURE 2 - (FPREP345PH) Juvenile, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Bert Vandebosch November 2008).
FIGURE 3 - (FPREP346PH) Same individual lateral head (Bert Vandebosch November 2008).
FIGURE 4 - (FPREP347PH) Same individual dorsal head (Bert Vandebosch November 2008).
FIGURE 5 - (FPREP348PH) Same individual dorsal scale detail (Bert Vandebosch November 2008).
FIGURE 6 - (FPREP349PH) Same individual lateral scale detail (Bert Vandebosch November 2008).
FIGURE 7 - (FPREP350PH) Same individual ventral (Bert Vandebosch November 2008).
FIGURE 1

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3

FIGURE 3
FIGURE 4

FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5

FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6

FIGURE 6
FIGURE 7

FIGURE 7