|
"Only now do we know the true story- Megarachne was a giant prehistoric sea scorpion." |
Snakes can do all kinds of interesting things with their flexible bodies, but this one has a singular talent. As its name says, the jumping viper actually leaps at prey. This viper's strike is so powerful that it lifts the snake's entire body off the ground. The jumping viper's venom does the rest, destroying the victim's blood cells and stopping its body from functioning.
Hot Target: This snake rests under leaves during the day and hunts at night. The viper often stays hidden beneath the debris, detecting nearby prey with heat sensors (pits) on its nose and striking out of nowhere when a victim is in range.
Spring Shot: The jumping viper's inch-long fangs are too big for its mouth-they would stab through the reptile's lower jaw if not for the fact that they fold back when not in use. When the snake opens its mouth, the fangs spring forward and lock in place
Killer Coil[]
The viper tightens its muscles when it's ready to strike and literally lifts off the ground to hit its target.
When threatened or when potential prey is nearby, the jumping viper compresses its neck into a tight S-shape. This is when you should know to back away. This snake's strike is so powerful that when it springs forward, out of that S-shape, the force actually lifts the snake up to three feet in the air. This helps the snake strike parts of a victim's body that other snakes can't reach, which means it can hit unprotected parts and its venom can work its way into the victim's bloodstream more quickly.
Mad Scramble: If attacked, the jumping viper flails wildly on the ground. This causes a commotion, which might scare or confuse the attacker. The snake keeps its eyes on its enemy the whole time, though, waiting for a chance to strike.
Blood Killer: Like many vipers, this snake's venom is haemotoxic, meaning it attacks the victim's blood. The toxins kill red blood cells, preventing the blood from bringing oxygen to the victim's organs, which causes the organs to stop working.
Moo-ve Out of the Way![]
- A farmer leads his small herd of cattle through a Central American grassland in search of rich grazing grounds for the animals. The cows walk with heavy footsteps, which grab the attention of a nearby jumping viper.
- The snake coils up, ready to strike. The cattle come a little too close for comfort, and the viper leaps into a strike on the nearest one. The snake sinks its fangs into the cow's upper leg, right into the blood-filled muscle.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- In the 'Spring Shot' section, there is no period after the last sentence.
- In the 'Blood Killer' section, 'hemotoxic' is spelled 'haemotoxic'.
- A myth on the Jumping Viper is that people thought these snakes can jump high enough to bite someone on the throat or face. But they usually jump about an inch high. The highest they can leap in a strike is no more than 3 feet.
- The Jumping Viper is one of three members (at the time) of the genus Bothrops featured in the series, the other two being Eyelash Viper and Fer-De-Lance.
- The jumping viper has since been renamed to Metlapilcoatlus nummifer.