Mexican Jumping Pit Viper
Atropoides nummifer
A thick-bodied Mexican relative of the Jumping Pit Viper, sharing the same rapid, forceful strike behavior.
- Venomous?
- Venomous
- Adult length
- 0.5-0.8 m (1.6-2.6 ft)
- Range
- Southern Mexico and parts of Guatemala
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Overview
The Mexican Jumping Pit Viper is closely related to the Jumping Pit Viper found further south, occupying forested habitats in southern Mexico and adjacent Guatemala.
Like its relative, it is a stout-bodied, cryptically patterned snake known for its rapid defensive strikes, and it plays a similar ecological role as an ambush predator on the forest floor.
How to identify it
- Heavy, stout body
- Grayish-brown to reddish coloration with dark, coin-like or geometric blotches (reflected in its species name 'nummifer', meaning coin-bearing)
- Broad triangular head
- Vertical pupils and facial heat pits
- Keeled scales
- Distinguished from the Jumping Pit Viper primarily by range and subtle pattern differences
Habitat & range
Found in tropical forest and premontane habitats of southern Mexico and parts of Guatemala, typically in leaf litter on the forest floor.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Terrestrial and nocturnal, ambushing small mammals and amphibians. Known for its fast, forceful strike similar to the Jumping Pit Viper. Ovoviviparous.
Frequently asked questions
How is the Mexican Jumping Pit Viper different from the Jumping Pit Viper?
They are closely related, differing mainly in geographic range and subtle pattern details.
Why is it called 'nummifer'?
The species name refers to its coin-like blotch pattern.
Is it venomous?
Yes, it is a venomous pit viper.
Where does it live?
In forests of southern Mexico and parts of Guatemala.
Mexican Jumping Pit Viper guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Mexican Jumping Pit Viper.
