? Saharan Horned Viper
Saharan Sand Viper, Cerastes vipera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Viperidae Subfamily: Viperinae Genus: Cerastes Laurenti, 1768
Species
3 species, see article.

Cerastes is a genus of small vipers found in northern Africa and the Middle East. Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anenomes) Placozoa (trichoplax) Subregnum Bilateria (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (parasitic to flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders  Crocodilia - Crocodilians scary crocodiles. ... Suborders Amphisbaenia - Worm lizards Sauria- Lizards Serpentes - Snakes Squamata (scaled reptiles) is the largest recent order of reptiles, including lizards and snakes. ... Superfamilies and Families Henophidia Aniliidae Anomochilidae Boidae Bolyeriidae Cylindrophiidae Loxocemidae Pythonidae Tropidophiidae Uropeltidae Xenopeltidae Typhlopoidea Anomalepididae Leptotyphlopidae Typhlopidae Xenophidia Acrochordidae Atractaspididae Colubridae Elapidae Hydrophiidae Viperidae Snakes are cold blooded legless reptiles closely related to lizards, which share the order Squamata. ... Subfamilies Crotalinae (Pit Vipers) Viperinae (Vipers) The Viperidae family is made up of two subfamilies: Crotalinae (Pit Vipers) Viperinae (Vipers) Categories: Stub | Snakes ... Genera Adenorhinos Atheris Azemiops Bitis Cerastes Daboia Echis Eristicophis Macrovipera Montatheris Proatheris Pseudocerastes Vipera This page is about Viper snakes. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a grouping in the classification of living organisms having one or more related and morphologically similar species. ... Genera Adenorhinos Atheris Azemiops Bitis Cerastes Daboia Echis Eristicophis Macrovipera Montatheris Proatheris Pseudocerastes Vipera This page is about Viper snakes. ... A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

Species

• Desert Horned Viper or Saharan Horned Viper, Cerastes cerastes

• Cerastes cerastes cerastes (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Cerastes cerastes karlhartli (Sochurek, 1974)
• Cerastes cerastes mutila (Domergue, 1901)
• Cerastes cerastes hoofieni (Werner & Sivan, 1999)

• Cerastes gasperettii

• Cerastes gasperetti mendelssohni (Werner & Sivan, 1999)
• Cerastes gasperettii gasperettii (Leviton & Anderson, 1967)

• Saharan Sand Viper, Cerastes vipera (Linnaeus, 1758)

Satellite image The Sahara is the worlds largest hot desert, over 9,000,000 km² (3,500,000 mi²), or about the same size as the United States. ... Carolus Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as ▶ (help· info), and in English usually under the Latinized name Carolus Linnaeus (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), the name with which his publications were signed, was a Swedish botanist and physician who laid the foundations for the modern scheme... 1758 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Carolus Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as ▶ (help· info), and in English usually under the Latinized name Carolus Linnaeus (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), the name with which his publications were signed, was a Swedish botanist and physician who laid the foundations for the modern scheme... 1758 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Description

Cerastes are small snakes, typically around 60cm in length, but are relatively heavy bodied. Their scale coloration is normally a tan or light brown to match their habitat, with darker brown blotches down their back. All Cerastes have small eyes with vertical pupils which are set high on the head so they can still see when their bodies are almost entirely buried in sand. C. cerastes is easily distinguished by prominent 'horns' which protrude from above its eyes. In most biological nomenclature, a scale (Greek lepid) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animals skin to provide protection. ... Tan is a brownish, tawny coluor. ... The color brown is produced by mixing complementary colors, such as red and green, orange and blue, or yellow and purple. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The human eye The pupil is the central transparent area (showing as black). ...

Behaviour & Diet

Living in a desert habitat, Cerastes are largely nocturnal, burying themselves in a cool area of sand during the day. Long distance movmements are accomplished primarily by sidewinding, but also employ rectilinear locomotion when necessary. When threatened, they will rub their scales together quickly to create a loud rasping sound which sounds remarkably like hissing. These snakes are capable of burying themselves in loose sand in mere seconds (see video). A nocturnal animal is one that sleeps during the day and is active at night - the opposite of the human (diurnal) schedule. ... Crotalus scutulatus, Mojave rattlesnake, sidewinding Sidewinding is a type of locomotion unique to caenophidian snakes, used to move across loose or slippery substrates. ... Rectilinear locomotion is a mode of locomotion most often associated with snakes, particularly heavy-bodied species like terrestrial pythons and boas, athough most snakes are capable of it. ...

Their primary diet is lizards, but in a harsh environment one does not turn down an available meal, so they will also consume small rodents, and small birds. Their venom is a strong hemotoxin that is considered medically significant to humans. Sanofi pasteur manufactures an antivenin for Cerastes envenomation. This antivenin is a polyvalent, which also can be used to treat bites from Bitis, Echis and Macrovipera genus snakes. Families Many, see text. ... Families See Classification Section The order Rodentia is the most numerous of all the branches on the mammal family tree. ... Orders Many - see section below. ... It has been suggested that Snake poison be merged into this article or section. ... Antivenom (or antivenin, or antivenene) is a biological product used in the treatment of venomous bites. ... Species (Gaboon Viper) (Rhinoceros Viper) The Bitis genus of vipers consists of sixteen species. ...

Related species

• Field's Horned Viper, Pseudocerastes fieldi (Duméril, Bibron, & Duméril, 1854)
• Persian Horned Viper, Pseudocerastes persicus (Duméril, Bibron, & Duméril, 1854)

Constant Duméril. ... Gabriel Bibron (1806 - 1848) was a French zoologist. ... Auguste Duméril. ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ... Constant Duméril. ... Gabriel Bibron (1806 - 1848) was a French zoologist. ... Auguste Duméril. ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

References

• The European Molecular Biology Laboratory Reptile Database