Atheris nitschei is a species of highly venomous snake, a viper in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to Africa. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
The specific name, nitschei, is in honor of German zoologist Hinrich Nitsche (1845–1902).
The 1906 junior synonym, A. woosnami, was in honor of Kenyan game ranger Richard Bowen Woosnam (1880–1915), who later fought in World War I and was killed in action at Gallipoli.
Common names for A. nitschei include Great Lakes bush viper, Nitsche's bush viper, black and green bush viper, Nitsche's tree viper. sedge viper, green viper, bush viper.
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
Venom is a type of poison, especially one secreted by an animal. It is delivered in a bite, sting, or similar action. Venom has evolved in terrestr...
Highly venomous animals are able to produce the most toxic venom which is considered to be one of the most debilitating and potentially deadly.
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starts withAtheris nitschei is a relatively large and stout bush viper, growing to an average total length (including tail) of 60 cm (24 in) and a maximum total length of at least 80 cm (31 in). The males are smaller than the females.
Atheris nitschel is found in forests of the Central African Albertine Rift, in southern and eastern DR Congo, Uganda, western Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Zambia.
The type locality is listed as "Mpororosumpf, Deutsch-Ost-Afrika".
Preferred habitats of A. nitschei are wetland and meadow areas, and elephant grass marshes, along small streams, sometimes in scrub and bush in valleys at higher elevations, and in mountain forests up to the bamboo zone at 1,600–2,800 m (5,200–9,200 ft) altitude. It is common in papyrus reed around small lakes.
Atheris nitschi has highly toxic venom like others in the Atheris genus. Not much is known about their venom but envenomation has caused severe bleeding and hemorrhaging.
A. nitschei is viviparous.