Atheris chlorechis

Atheris chlorechis is a viper species found only in the forests of West Africa.^[1][3][5] No subspecies are currently recognized. It is the type species of its genus.^[5][6] Like all other vipers, it is a venomous species.^[5] Atheris chlorechis venom can lead to major systemic envenoming, shock, blood loss due to coagulopathy, and renal failure. There is no antivenom.

Atheris chlorechis
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Atheris
Species:	A. chlorechis
Binomial name
Atheris chlorechis (Pel, 1851)
Synonyms
Vipera chlorechis Pel, 1851 Vipera chloroechis Schlegel, 1855 Vipera (Echis) chloroechis — Jan, 1859 Tox[icoa]. chloroëchis — Cope, 1860 Vipera chloroechis — Cope, 1862 E[chis]. chlorechis — Jan, 1863 Atheris polylepis W. Peters, 1864 Atheris chloroëchis — W. Peters, 1864 Atheris proximus Rochebrune, 1885 Atheris chlorechis Boulenger, 1896 Atheris chloraechis Cansdale, 1961 Atheris chlorechis — Broadley, 1996[2]

Common names: western bush viper,^[3] West African leaf viper,^[4] more.

Description

Adults average 50 cm (20 inches) in total length (body + tail), with a maximum total length of 70 cm (28 in). The tail is relatively long. The body is relatively slender, with 25–36 midbody rows of dorsal scales. These are heavily keeled, with the keels ending in a swelling at the end of each scale.^[3]

Adults have a uniform light green ground color, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm (about 1 in) apart. The belly is pale green in color.^[3] Newborns are tan-brown in color, but this changes to a yellow-green hue with irregular dark spots within 24 hours.^[7] This second color phase has been described as the reverse of that of the adults and is only seen in individuals less than 25 cm (9.8 in) in total length.^[3][7]

Common names

Western bush viper,^[3] West African leaf viper,^[4] West African tree viper.^[8]

Geographic range

Atheris chlorechis is found in West Africa from Sierra Leone through Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Ghana to southern Togo. Records from Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon are considered erroneous.^[1]

The type locality is listed as "Boutre, Ghana".^[2][5]

Habitat

Found in forests, in dense foliage about 1–2 m (about 3–6 ft) above the ground.^[3]

Feeding

Said to feed on rodents, lizards and tree frogs.^[3]

Reproduction

Gives birth to 6–9 young in March to April. Newborns are 131–151 mm (about 5–6 inches) in total length.^[7]