Cerastes cerastes

Cerastes cerastes Temporal range: Pleistocene-recent[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Cerastes
Species:	C. cerastes
Binomial name
Cerastes cerastes (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms[3]
[Coluber] Cerastes Linnaeus, 1758 Coluber cornutus Linnaeus In Hasselquist, 1762 Cerastes cornutus — Forskål, 1775 Vipera Cerastes — Sonnini & Latreille, 1801 Cerastes Hasselquistii Gray, 1842 Cerastes Aegyptiacus A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854 Echidna atricaudata A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854 Vipera Avicennae Jan, 1859 V[ipera]. (Echidna) Avicennae — Jan, 1863 V[ipera]. (Cerastes) cerastes — Jan, 1863 Cerastes cornutus — Boulenger, 1891 Cerastes cerastes— J. Anderson, 1899 Cerastes cornutus var. mutila Doumergue, 1901 Aspis cerastes — Parker, 1938 Cerastes cerastes cerastes — Leviton & S.C. Anderson, 1967 Cerastes cerastes karlhartli Sochurek, 1974 Cerastes cerastes karlhartli — Tiedemann & Häupl, 1980 [Cerastes cerastes] mutila — Le Berre, 1989 Cerastes cerastes — Y. Werner, Le Verdier, Rosenman & Sivan, 1991

Cerastes cerastes, commonly known as the Saharan horned viper

The average total length (body and tail) is 30–60 cm (12–24 in), with a maximum total length of 85 cm (33 in). Females are larger than males.[4]

One of the most distinctive characteristics of this species is the presence of supraorbital "horns", one over each eye. However, these may be reduced in size or absent (see genus Cerastes).^[4] The eyes are prominent and set on the sides of the head.^[6] There is significant sexual dimorphism, with males having larger heads and larger eyes than females. Compared to C. gasperettii, the relative head size of C. cerastes is larger and there is a greater frequency of horned individuals (13% versus 48%, respectively).^[4][7]

The colour pattern consists of a yellowish, pale grey, pinkish, reddish or pale brown ground colour, which almost always matches the substrate colour where the animal is found.

Common names of this species include desert sidewinding horned viper,[8] Saharan horned viper,^[4] horned s,^[5] Sahara horned viper,^[6] desert horned viper, North African horned viper,^[9] African desert horned viper, greater cerastes,^[10] asp and horned viper.^[11] In Egypt, it is called el-ṭorîsha (حية الطريشة); in Libya, it is called um-Goron (ام قرون).

Distribution and habitat

The snake is common in Iraq but is also found in Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Israel and Kuwait. They can also be found in parts of North Africa including Libya, Egypt, Qatar and Sudan.

A member of this species was reportedly found and killed by locals on the border between the Peshawar and Nowshera districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The incident was reported along with a photo of the dead reptile in 'Aaj', and Urdu-language newspaper published in the provincial capital Peshawar on September 10, 2019.^{[citation needed]}

Originally, the

These snakes favor dry, sandy areas with sparse rock outcroppings, and tend to avoid coarse sand. Occasionally they are found around oases, and up to an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft). Cooler temperatures, with annual averages of 20 °C (68 °F) or less, are preferred.^[4]

Behavior

They typically move by sidewinding, during which they press their weight into the sand or soil, leaving whole-body impressions. Often, it is even possible to use these impressions to make ventral scale counts. They have a reasonably placid temperament, but if threatened, they may assume a C-shaped posture and rapidly rub their coils together. Because they have strongly keeled scales, this rubbing produces a rasping noise, similar to the sound produced by snakes of the genus Echis. In the wild, they are typically ambush predators, lying submerged in sand adjacent to rocks or under vegetation. The diet of this carnivorous species consists primarily of small rodents, geckos, birds, and a variety of lizards.^[12] These vipers are also known to eat jerboas, yellow wagtails, and chiffchaffs.^[13] C. cerastes has been known to travel long distances at night in search of prey.^[14] When approached, they strike very rapidly, holding on to the captured prey until the venom takes effect.^[15]

Reproduction

In captivity, mating was observed in April and always occurred while the animals were buried in the sand.

SC.^[9] An estimated lethal dose for humans is 40–50 mg.^[6]

Taxonomy

A number of subspecies have been described:[4]

• Cerastes cerastes hoofieni Werner & Sivan, 1999 – Saudi Arabia.
• Cerastes cerastes karlhartli Sochurek, 1974 – Egyptian horned viper – southeast Egypt and Sinai Peninsula.
• Cerastes cerastes mutila Domergue, 1901 – Algerian horned viper – southwest Algeria, Morocco.

Previously, C. gasperettii was also regarded as a subspecies of C. cerastes.^[4]

References

1. ^ [1]
2. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T197465A2486896.en
   . Retrieved 21 February 2022.
3. ^
   ISBN 1-893777-01-4
   .
4. ^
   ISBN 0-89464-877-2
   .
5. ^
   ISBN 0-8069-6460-X
   .
6. ^
   ISBN 0-88359-029-8
   .
7. ^ Werner YL, Verdier A, Rosenman D, Sivan N. 1991. Systematics and Zoogeography of Cerastes (Ophidia: Viperidae) in the Levant: 1. Distinguishing Arabian from African "Cerastes cerastes". The Snake 23: 90–100.
8. ^ Stevens, Austin (2005). SNAKEMASTER In Search of the Snake that Killed Cleopatra. [DVD] Michael Davies, USA: Discovery Communications, Inc.
9. ^
   ISBN 0-398-02808-7
   .
10. ISBN 0-486-26629-X
    .
11. ^ Ditmars RL. (1933). Reptiles of the World. Revised Edition. New York: The MacMillan Company.
12. ^ "Cerastes cerastes (Desert Horned Viper)". Animal Diversity Web.
13. ^ "Cerastes cerastes (Desert Horned Viper)". Animal Diversity Web.
14. ^ "Cerastes cerastes (Desert Horned Viper)". Animal Diversity Web.
15. ^ Photo sequence of Cerastes cerastes feeding in the wild (Gilf Kebir, Egypt, 27 October 2004) at FJ Expeditions accessed 19 October 2013

Further reading

• Boulenger GA. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the...Viperidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.- XXV. (Cerastes cornutus, pp. 502–503).
• Calmette A. 1907. Les venins, les animaux venimeux et la serotherapie antivenimeuse. In: Bucherl W. editor. 1967. Venomous Animals and Their Venoms. Vol. I. Paris: Masson. 233 pp.
• Mohamed AH, Kamel A, Ayobe MH. 1969. "Studies of phospholipase A and B activities of Egyptian snake venoms and a scorpion venom". Toxicon 6: 293–988.
• Joger U. 1984. The Venomous Snakes of the Near and Middle East. Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag. 175 pp.
• Labib RS, Malim HY, Farag NW. 1979. "Fractionation of Cerastes cerastes and Cerastes vipera snake venoms by gel filtration and identification of some enzymatic and biological activities". Toxicon 17: 337–345.
• Labib RS, Azab MH, Farag NW. 1981. "Effects of Cerastes cerastes (Egyptian sand viper) snake venoms on blood coagulation: separation of coagulant and anticoagulant factors and their correlation with arginineesterase protease activities". Toxicon 19: 85–94.
• Labib RS, Azab ER, Farag NW. 1981. "Proteases of Cerastes cerastes and Cerastes vipera snake venoms". Toxicon 19: 73–83.
• Linnaeus C. 1758. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp. (Coluber cerastes, p. 217).
• Schneemann M, Cathomas R, Laidlaw ST, El Nahas AM, Theakston RDG, Warrell DA. 2004. "Life-threatening envenoming by the Saharan horned viper (Cerastes cerastes) causing micro-angiopathic haemolysis, coagulopathy and acute renal failure: clinical cases and review". Association of Physicians. QJM 97 (11): 717–727. Full text at Oxford Journals. Accessed 9 March 2007.
• Schnurrenburger H. 1959. "Observations on behavior in two Libyan species of viperine snake". Herpetologica 15:70-2.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cerastes cerastes.

Wikispecies has information related to Cerastes cerastes.

• Cerastes cerastes at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 August 2007.
• Exceptional photo sequence of Cerastes cerastes feeding in the wild at FJ Expeditions taken on 27 October 2004. Accessed 19 October 2013.
• Sand viper page at Plumed-serpent.com. Accessed 30 July 2006.
• Video of Cerastes cerastes on
  YouTube
  . Accessed 31 May 2007.

Aziz Subach, Arik Dorfman, Bar Avidov, Adi Domer, Yehonatan Samocha and Inon Scharf. 2022 Foraging behaviour, habitat use and population size of the desert horned viper in the Negev desert. Royal Society Open Science https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220326

Dorfman, A., Subach, A., & Scharf, I. (2023). Snakes on a slope: strong anti-gravitactic responses and differential habitat use in the Saharan horned viper (Cerastes cerastes) in the Negev desert. Royal Society Open Science, 10(3), 221652.https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.221652

Movement ecology and foraging behavior of the Saharan horned viper in the Negev Desert – an outline for research