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Common names: South American Bushmaster

Scientific names: Lachesis muta

 

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Family: Viperidae

Genus: Lachesis

Species: L. muta

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The Bushmaster is the largest Pit Viper in the world. It was recorded to be 14 ft long, which is the largest they have ever recorded. This snake has a triangular shaped head. Long and heavy-bodied in shades of brown to pale pink with brown or black blotch marking running down their bodies.

 

The South American Bushmaster lives in the jungle so it eats about anything in the jungle. They eat a variety of prey including small birds, frogs, large insects, lizards and often, even other snakes. It is the largest venomous snake in South America, so it has its advantages. It competes with the tropical rattlesnake.

 

The Bushmaster ranges throughout the countries of Brazil, Costa Rica, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, and Trinidad. It lives in heavily forested tropical jungle terrain. It thrives because it camouflages.

 

One thing that stood out to me was that the most deadly snake in the central and south Americas was the South American Bushmaster.

 

Author: Jared D

Published: 02/10

 

Sources:

http://www.tigerhomes.org/animal/bushmaster-snake.cfm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lachesis_muta

 

Photo credit: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/12/21/bush-master_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bukisa.com/articles/422794_worlds-deadliest-snakes&usg=__ofz0uaaj4QkdIWI-3NhgyjH42bk=&h=450&w=467&sz=68&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=anETLRoB2I260M:&tbnh=146&tbnw=158&ei=DJRMTZ_nIIuusAOa15GXCg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsouth%2Bamerican%2Bbushmaster%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D846%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=547&oei=DJRMTZ_nIIuusAOa15GXCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:29,s:0&tx=110&ty=55

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