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 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

BOTHROPS ASPER

Bothrops asper (common names Terciopelo [English], Cuatro Narices [Spanish], and often called the fer-de-lance among many other colloquial names, but see discussion under common names below) is a venomous pit viper species, ranging in distribution from southern Mexico to northern South America. They are found in a wide range of lowland habitats, often near human habitations. Because of its proximity to human habitations and its defensive temperament, it is more dangerous to people than many other snakes. This species is the main cause of snakebite incidents within its range. No subspecies are currently recognized.

The name fer-de-lance is French (or possibly Créole), translating to "iron of the lance", "iron spear point" or simply "spearhead" or "lancehead".  In English the name lancehead is applied to the genus Bothrops as a whole, and in combination with the majority of the species within the genus (e.g.: Alcatrazes lancehead (Bothrops alcatraz), Patagonian lancehead, (Bothrops ammodytoides), Andean lancehead (Bothrops andianus) etc.).

 The name fer-de-lance has been used inconsistently and very informally with several species in the genus Bothrops having been called fer-de-lance at one time or another, most commonly Bothrops asper, Bothrops atrox, Bothrops caribbaeus, and Bothrops lanceolatus.

 Several herpetologist have preferred and argued to restrict the name fer-de-lance to the Martinique lancehead (Bothrops lanceolatus) from the Caribbean Island of Martinique but, popular usage has rarely recognized any distinction.  In their seminal opus on the venomous reptiles of the western hemisphere, Campbell & Lamar, stated "The name fer-de lance, widely used in North America with reference to B. asper and B. atrox, has no legitimate origin of use in regions inhabited by this snake."

 In an effort to establish standardized names for the amphibians and reptiles of North America, the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR), a not-for-profit organization and one of the largest international herpetological societies, applied following nomenclature.

In recent decades herpetologist have preferred the name Terciopelo for Bothrops asper, although the term fer-de-lance is still common in popular usage.

Description

Bothrops species can be distinguished by their broad, flattened heads which are set apart from the rest of their bodies. The head of this snake is light to dark brown or even black. Although usually absent, it may have occipital blotches or streaks that range from indistinct to distinct. The underside is most often pale yellow. 

This species has different patterns and colors on its dorsal and ventral sides and it exhibits a postorbital stripe. The ventral side is yellow, cream, or a whitish gray, with dark blotches that are more frequent closer to the posterior end. Ventrolaterally, B. asper has interchanging gray scales which are more pale towards the medial line. 

Dark triangles with pale edges can be seen laterally, which range in number from 18 to 25. Apices either alternate or are reflective of each other over the middorsal line. In the interspaces, there are dark, paravertebral blotches. Specimens may have a yellow zig-zag-shaped line on each side of the body. There is a great variety of colours on its dorsal side: olive, gray, light brown to dark brown, tan or sometimes nearly black. To prevent water loss where they occur in drier regions, this species has more scales.

Specimens of this species may weigh up to 6 kilograms (13 lb) and are often 1.2 to 1.8 meters (3.9 to 5.9 ft) in length. Very big females can reach lengths up to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft), although this is uncommon. These are among the most sexually dimorphic of all snakes. 

The two sexes are born the same size, but by age 7 to 12 months, females begin to grow at a much faster rate than males. Females have thick, heavy bodies and grow significantly larger than males. They also have heads two or three times the size of males relative to their size and proportionally bigger fangs (typically 2.5 cm), as well.

Across its geographic range, this species varies greatly phenotypically. As a result, great confusion between it and other related species, most notably Bothrops atrox, which is similar in color but usually has yellow or rust-like tones and rectangular or trapezoidal blotches.