What is Big Eyed Green Pit Viper (Trimeresurus Macrops)

 Big eyed green pit viper is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Southeast Asia. 

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Reptilia
• Order: Squamata
• Suborder: Serpentes
• Family: Viperidae
• Genus: Trimeresurus
• Species: T. mac
• Scientific Name: Trimeresurus macrops

Habitat

Typical habitat for this pit viper is Bangkok, Thailand. They also occur in northern and northwestern Thailand. They are found in western Thailand, as well as central and southern Laos and northern Cambodia. They prefer moist, well-vegetated (semi -) forests, shrubs, and bamboo groves, usually close to water sources. They are sometimes found in agricultural areas.

Physical Description

Size: The small pit viper can range from 50 to 71 cm. Males are noticeably smaller and more slender than females. In many ways, they look a lot like other green Asian pit vipers, such as the famous white-striped pit viper and island snake. 

Coloration: The color of the body is bright green. They have a red line on their tail, and males have a light (and sometimes blue) line just below their eyes along the first row of the dorsal scales. The eyes are dirty yellow or light brown. Compared to other snakes, it has larger eyes and a stout/rounded head, while the white snake has a slender oval head.

Behavior

Like most arboreal Asian pit vipers, the big eyed green pit vipers are mainly active at dusk and evening. They are ambush hunters and usually perch on branches a few meters above the ground. Here, they mainly feed on small vertebrates such as lizards, small birds and arboreal rodents. During the day, they hide among leaves, relying on their enormous camouflage. When disturbed, they exhibit typical threatening behavior, sometimes opening their mouths and wagging their tails. When an attacker approaches, this pit viper will not hesitate to attack and bite.

Diet & Feeding

In the wild, these pit vipers have a varied diet, including small vertebrates such as lizards, frogs, small birds, and arboreal rodents. Juveniles mainly feed on lizards and frogs. In a captive situation, however, these snakes thrive on small mice. 

Venom

The venom of big eyed green pit viper consists mainly of hemotoxins and stimulants/anticoagulants. Studies have shown that the bite has a significant effect on the fibrinolytic system and causes clotting problems. In the first stage, a bite can cause red wounds, bleeding, irritation, swelling, pain, bruising, more pain, headache, nausea, stomach pain and cramps, leading to diarrhea and vomiting. Long-term effects may be tissue damage or even loss of (part of) a limb, resulting in swelling and disruption of the blood supply, as well as venom from tissue damage. All bites should be considered potentially life threatening and should be taken seriously. Be sure to notify health services, make sure you have a bite protocol for each species, and have all the information you need in case you get bitten.