Horned snake. Persian horned viper, description, habitat, lifestyle, photo, video What is the name of a snake with horns
Up to 70 cm long, brownish-yellow in color, with more or less clear transverse spots of dark brown color, the entire color of the snake is extremely harmonious with the color sandy desert. The number of scales in each belt is 29-33; the anal scute is undivided, and the caudal scutes are divided into two.
Spreading
A widespread species, found throughout North Africa (except Morocco) and the Arabian Peninsula.
Reproduction
Gives birth to live young.
Lifestyle and nutrition
A nocturnal animal that easily adapts to captivity and easily endures hunger for months. It feeds on small mammals and birds.
Horned viper in culture
It was already distinguished by the ancient Egyptians in their hieroglyphs, from which the Greek φ (phi) was subsequently derived.
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Literature
- Yakobson G. G.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
Excerpt characterizing the Horned Viper
He stopped and rubbed his face and eyes with his hands.“Well, here,” he continued, apparently making an effort on himself to speak coherently. “I don’t know since when I love her.” But I have loved only her, only one, all my life and love her so much that I cannot imagine life without her. Now I don’t dare ask her hand; but the thought that maybe she could be mine and that I would miss this opportunity... opportunity... is terrible. Tell me, can I have hope? Tell me what should I do? “Dear princess,” he said, after being silent for a while and touching her hand, since she did not answer.
“I’m thinking about what you told me,” answered Princess Marya. - I'll tell you what. You’re right, what should I tell her about love now... - The princess stopped. She wanted to say: it is now impossible to talk to her about love; but she stopped because for the third day she saw from Natasha’s sudden change that not only would Natasha not be offended if Pierre expressed his love to her, but that this was all she wanted.
“It’s impossible to tell her now,” Princess Marya said.
- But what should I do?
“Entrust this to me,” said Princess Marya. - I know…
Pierre looked into Princess Marya's eyes.
“Well, well...” he said.
“I know that she loves... will love you,” Princess Marya corrected herself.
Before she had time to say these words, Pierre jumped up and, with a frightened face, grabbed Princess Marya by the hand.
- Why do you think so? Do you think I can hope? You think?!
“Yes, I think so,” said Princess Marya, smiling. - Write to your parents. And instruct me. I'll tell her when it's possible. I wish this. And my heart feels that this will happen.
A flat head, a pair of sharp horns above almost cat-like eyes, an unusual manner of movement - the owner of such a memorable appearance could not help but leave her mark on history. And indeed, the horned viper (lat. Cerastes cerastes) has long been well known in its homeland - in the arid savannas and foothills North Africa, in the shifting sands of the Sahara Desert and the Arabian Peninsula.
According to the testimony of the Greek historian Herodotus, the ancient Egyptians treated horned vipers with great respect and even embalmed the bodies of dead snakes. Their mummies were discovered during excavations in Thebes, which suggests an important and even mystical role of horned snakes in the life of the ancient inhabitants of Egypt. It was this reptile that served the Egyptians as the basis for one of the letters of the alphabet - the hieroglyph “phi”. It is believed that the reason for this was the ability of horned vipers to make hissing sounds using their lateral scales.
In general, the role that these scales, similar to pointed blades, play in the life of horned snakes is difficult to overestimate. They are much smaller than the dorsal scales, extend along the entire lateral surface of the body and are directed at an angle downwards, forming something like a long sharp saw.
When a reptile needs to burrow into the sand, it spreads its ribs to the sides, thereby flattening its body, and with rapid vibrating movements, using sawtooth scales as a digging mechanism, it sinks into the sand in a matter of seconds. It is unlikely that you will be able to see the trace of a viper hidden in the sand: the very first breath of wind carries away barely noticeable sandy tubercles left over from the dive.
The horned viper spends the entire daylight hours in abandoned rodent burrows or buried in the sand, leaving only its eyes on the surface. It is almost impossible to notice it in this position: the sandy-yellow coloring of the body, diluted with brown spots, does an excellent job as camouflage. Under the cover of night, horned predators go hunting: moving silently through the night desert, they catch small rodents, birds and lizards.
If the camouflage coloring is not enough, and it is necessary to scare away the uninvited guest, the horned snake stands on its tail in the shape of the letter “C” and begins to vigorously rub one part of the body against the other. And here the lateral scales come to the rescue again: clinging to each other, they produce a loud hissing sound that can continuously last for almost two minutes.
And, of course, the most convincing argument in defense is poison. They say that after being bitten by a horned viper, you feel as if your heart is being squeezed by an invisible fist. But in general, the venom of this snake is not fatal, and the same Egyptians learned to neutralize it more than two thousand years ago.
One more interesting feature of this reptile is its way of moving. The horned viper moves along the sand using the so-called “lateral move.” She alternately throws the back of her body forward and to the side, and only then pulls up the front. Since the viper does not touch the sand with the middle part of its body when moving, its mark is not a continuous line, but a series of oblique parallel stripes located at an angle of approximately 60 degrees to the direction of movement.
And while the horned viper crawls, its scales protruding from the sides collect the morning dew, storing invaluable moisture to survive another long hot day.
The horned viper (lat. Cerastes cerastes) is the most dangerous inhabitant of African deserts from the family Viperidae (lat. Viperidae). The small horns protruding above her eyes give her a menacing appearance. The venom of this snake contains hemolytic toxins, which increase the rate of tissue decomposition.
The bite of this viper is deadly to humans, which is why it is adored by lovers of thrills and exotic animals. The reptile can be kept in captivity, and if the proper conditions are created, it easily reproduces in terrariums.
Spreading
The habitat extends to North Africa and part of the Arabian Peninsula. In hot deserts and on sand dunes, the horned viper feels great.
It moves sideways, while throwing the back of its body simultaneously to the side and forward.
The reptile tolerates sudden changes well daily temperature and anhydrous environment. To breed, she finds places with a minimum amount of water.
Behavior
The horned viper prefers to lead a solitary lifestyle. Most of During the day she sleeps buried in the sand or hidden among the rocks. But it hunts at night, although it can catch prey in the middle of the day.
Buried in the sand up to its eyes, the snake patiently waits for its victim. As soon as a bird, rodent or small reptile appears nearby, it instantly attacks them, opening its mouth wide. Poisonous fangs move forward and become vertical.
Closing its mouth on the animal's body, it bites through the skin and injects poison. She then releases him and waits for the poison to take effect. After a few minutes, the viper tastes the victim with its tongue, and if it does not move, it swallows it whole.
In order to bask in the sun, the reptile positions itself so that maximum quantity her body was able to sunbathe.
In case of danger, the snake tries to scare its opponent. It folds into a half ring and rubs one side against the other, while the side scales rub against each other and make an unpleasant sound.
Reproduction
Horned vipers are oviparous snakes. Their mating season begins in April-June. Males and females rush in search of partners. After mating they separate forever.
The fertilized female goes in search of suitable site for laying eggs. Having found an area with moist soil, the reptile digs a hole and lays about 20 eggs in it. She then buries them and heads off.
After 8 weeks, small snakes are born, ready for independent life. From the first minutes they begin to swallow locusts, and over time they eat larger food.
Horned vipers reach sexual maturity at the age of two years.
Description
The body length reaches 70 cm. The triangular head is clearly limited from the body by a cervical interception. Large eyes have vertical pupils. Sharp vertical scales protruding above the eyes resemble small horns.
The body is short, thick and massive. The short tail tapers sharply towards the end. The scales covering the body are directed at an angle downward, forming something like a saw. The back is painted in yellow with olive spots along the sides and back.
The lifespan of a horned viper in captivity is about 18 years, and in wildlife does not exceed 15 years.
No, the snake actually doesn’t have any horns, they are false, but they look natural, right? And today, we will tell you about Persian horned viper.
Description of the horned viper
This type of snake belongs to the viper-like family. The body length of such an individual reaches 80-100 cm. The body is quite dense with a wide head and a noticeable cervical interception. Above the eyes you can see a kind of vertically standing soft growth covered with scales, which we perceive as “horns”.
What is most interesting is that not all snakes have paired “horns”; sometimes they grow only one at a time. Since the snake is constantly in the sand and soil, nature has endowed it with nostrils with valves into which nothing gets in. Color horned snake gray-brown with dark spots and transverse stripes.
HABITAT AND LIFESTYLE OF THE PERSIAN HORNED VIPER
Where does the Persian horned viper live?
The snake lives in Turkey, in United Arab Emirates(that’s why it got its name “Persian”), Pakistan, Oman, Israel, in Saudi Arabia, Jordan.
Horned viper lifestyle
Persian horned snake is predominantly nocturnal lifestyle. 
Many people have the impression that the reptile is drowning in the sand, but this is not the case. This impression is formed from the movements, but thanks to the lateral movements of the body, the snake does not fall into the sand. Yes, she often digs sand with her head, because she lives exclusively on sandy soil.
By the way, horned viper capable of reaching speeds of up to 37 km/h while moving sideways! IN diet reptiles include lizards, rodents and birds. Females and males mate, laying 10-20 eggs annually, from which after a short amount of time small snakes 15 cm long hatch.
VIDEO: ABOUT VIPERS
IN THIS VIDEO YOU WILL LEARN A LOT OF USEFUL AND INTERESTING ABOUT THE PERSIAN HORNED VIPER
A land where there would be no representatives of the animal world. Animals live all over the world, even in deserts and uninhabited Antarctica. This article will focus on those creatures that were able to adapt to the harsh desert climate. Some of the animals presented below can be seen in other parts of the planet. Desert animals are hardy and hardworking!
Desert animals are hardy and hardworking
Horned viper
Desert Animals - Horned Viper
This type of viper belongs to poisonous species, so it is better for a person not to meet with this reptile. The venom of a horned viper can cause considerable damage to the skin and blood cells. The hemotoxins present in viper venom are especially harmful, because if they enter the human bloodstream, they can lead to fatal outcome. Currently, the horned viper is on the verge of extinction.
dromedary camel
Desert Animals - Dromedary Camel
If in the distant past dromedary camels roamed the deserts of North Africa on their own, today these animals are found only with people, since they have long been completely domesticated. Dromedary camels They have excellent endurance and are very strong, which is why people use them to transport heavy loads. In addition, camels are often used for riding. There is an opinion that camels have water in their humps, which helps them survive without drinking. for a long time. This is a myth, because in fact, camels have fat in their humps, thanks to which they are able to live for a long time without food.
Gazelle Dorcas
Desert Animals - Gazelle Dorax
This gazelle has a beautiful sandy coloration, which serves as an excellent camouflage for it in the desert. The gazelle eats water-saving plants and dew-bearing plants, which means it can never drink water at all. The Dorax gazelle grows up to 65 centimeters, and its weight rarely exceeds 25 kilograms. If the animal senses the approach of predators, it instantly jumps to the side, thereby letting other gazelles know that a predator is in ambush. If necessary, the Dorcas gazelle can reach speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.
dung beetle
Desert Animals - Dung Beetle
More beautiful name this creature - sacred scarab. The beetle is famous for using the droppings of other animals for its own purposes. When he sees other people's excrement, he begins to roll it with his hind legs into a small ball, which he then rolls into his underground house. Naturally, the ball serves as food for the beetle. In autumn, the beetle rolls up larger balls, which serve not only as food, but also as a place to lay eggs.
Mendez antelope
Desert Animals - Mendez Antelope
Another name for the mendes antelope is addax. Previously, this amazing creature could only be found in the deserts of Egypt, Sudan, Mauritania and some other countries, but today the range of the antelope has decreased significantly. Today, addax lives only in Libya, Chile, Niger, Mali and Mauritania. Antelopes have unusual paws, the structure of which helps them move easily through heavy sandy terrain. And at the same time, this makes them too vulnerable to predators, from which it is very difficult for them to escape. Today there are fewer than 500 Mendes antelopes in the world.
yellow scorpion
Desert Animals - Yellow Scorpion
Scorpios are very fond of deserts, especially the yellow scorpion. This creature is very dangerous and at the same time incredibly tenacious. Outwardly, the scorpion does not look intimidating, but in fact it knows how to use its small claws perfectly if it is necessary to remove the enemy from the road. The yellow scorpion's main weapon is neurotoxins. While an adult is unlikely to die from one scorpion sting, a bite can be fatal for children and the elderly.
African ostrich
Desert Animals - African Ostrich
Everyone knows the bird that cannot fly. Nature decided not to deprive the ostriches, so it rewarded them with very fast running. If necessary, the giant bird can accelerate at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour. Of course, this is not all that an ostrich can boast of. Ostriches are very hardy birds, capable of covering vast distances. Ostriches have very good hearing, sharp eyesight, and powerful legs that allow the birds to fight off their enemies. The basis of ostrich nutrition is grass, but occasionally ostriches can also feed on small animals.
Desert Animals - Monitor Lizard
Externally, monitor lizards are very similar to giant lizards, but unlike them they pose a serious threat to people. And yet, these animals rarely attack people, preferring to use their poison to hunt small animals and insects. In fact, monitor lizards are cold-blooded animals, but they have managed to adapt to hot climates. If the temperature becomes unbearably high, monitor lizards begin to show aggression. It is known that predators do not tolerate life well in captivity.
Desert Animals - Fennec fox
Little fox leads night look life. You can meet the animal in the deserts of northern Africa. A special feature of the fennec cat is its large ears, which help the animal survive even very high temperature. The fennec's diet consists of all small desert inhabitants, as well as various plants.
Jerboa
Desert Animals – Jerboa
This funny rodent lives in deserts, semi-deserts and steppes. The jerboa can adapt to even the harshest conditions climatic conditions. Jerboa is nocturnal animal, distinguished by its jumps, which help it evade predators. The animal grows to only 25 centimeters in length, but this does not prevent it from accelerating at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour. Interestingly, jerboas never drink pure water, preferring to get water from the food they eat. The basis of the jerboa's diet consists of plants, seeds and some insects.