Common muzzle - description of where it lives, features

The content of the article

1 View description
2 Habitat
3 Lifestyle
4 Power Features
5 Propagation Features
6 Video: common muzzle (Gloydius halys)

Common muzzle - the most common type of reptile on our planet, belonging to the viper family. The name of this creeping reptile vividly describes the appearance of the snake - the upper part of the head of the reptile is decorated with characteristic shields. Note that this type of snake is poisonous, respectively, dangerous to humans. The bite of this snake is quite painful and, as a rule, causes heavy bleeding, which is difficult to stop.

View description

You can identify the muzzle as a rather dangerous kind of snake by looking into the eyes of this creeping reptile. The latter have characteristic narrow and upright pupils. Representatives of this species are relatively small - the maximum body length does not exceed 70 cm. The body surface of the thyroid muzzle is dotted with scales arranged in several rows. The head of the reptile has a slightly flattened shape, this is especially noticeable if you look at the snake from above. Also, a characteristic “collar” separates the neck from the body. Subtle orifices are located under the eye sockets of the reptile, the main function of which is to capture thermal radiation.

The upper part of the body of the snake has a dark brown or brownish color, while the light color of the zigzag pattern contrasts with the main color. The abdomen of the muzzle is light (more dirty yellow in color with small dark specks).

common viper - description of where it lives, features

Habitat

This species of reptiles as the common muzzle has a fairly wide habitat: Asia, the Far East, Northern Iran, North America, the southeastern part of the USA. In our country, this type of reptile is most often found in the Primorsky Territory.

Lifestyle

Although the muzzle is a snake dangerous to humans, nevertheless, it is not aggressive, this character trait manifests itself exclusively in cases where the snake has nowhere to go. Most often, such cases occur when hapless tourists, having lost their vigilance and caution, simply step on a creeping or resting reptile. In the event that the muzzle is ready to attack, the tip of the tail begins to vibrate at the snake.

The natural enemies of these representatives of the viper family include many birds of prey, as well as such inhabitants of the forest as badgers and raccoon dogs. It is also not uncommon for many hunters to hunt for this type of snake, which is explained by the fact that the mollusk meat is highly valued in eastern cuisine, and is also used for pharmacological purposes (both snake venom and pre-dried meat).

I would like to draw attention to the fact that the activity of this type of reptile as a mollusk directly depends on its habitat, as well as time and season. Most often, these snakes show aggression in spring and autumn (in the summer - only at night).

Often, this type of viper finds shelter in burrows dug by rodents, in dense shrubby vegetation, in wetlands. One of the favorite activities of this reptile is rest in the warm sunshine, as well as swimming in a pond.

The muzzle go hunting in search of prey, usually at dusk. In order to catch its prey, reptiles need only one bite, after which the animal tries to escape. The poison that entered the prey body paralyzes the latter, after which the muzzle through the heat radiation quickly finds its supper.

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Power Features

The diet of such a snake as the common muzzle is all the inhabitants of the range, which in size can fit this reptile as food. Each individual of this viper family has its own forage territory, beyond which, as a rule, it does not go hunting. To determine the desired production, the heat radiation traps described above are used.

The hunting process itself is quite simple - at the beginning the snake tracks its prey, followed by a short rapid throw and a bite of the victim. The venom of the thyroid muzzle almost immediately kills the victim, after which the reptile proceeds to the meal. In most cases, the catch of snakes of this species is rodents. Also often the muzzle hunts and birds, building their nests on the ground. A special treat for snakes is bird eggs, or the recently hatched offspring of birds. Those representatives of the species that live in the immediate vicinity of water bodies eat frogs, lizards and even small fish.

Propagation Features

After the end of the mating season, the first snake offspring appears, like most representatives of the viper family, muzzle sharks are viviparous reptiles. Thyroid muzzle babies are born in a translucent and fairly thin shell, which does not prevent small snakes from coming into the light. In one litter there can be more than a dozen babies. Newborn individuals have a color that completely coincides with the parent.

The average length of individuals born into the world does not exceed 20 cm, while the mass of the newborn mollusk is only about 10 grams.

In the first days after birth, young snakes feed exclusively on small insects and amphibians, after some time they switch to the food inherent for this species of reptile. Young mollusks reach maturity when they reach a sufficient body length of 400 mm, as a rule, this time corresponds to two to three winterings. The average lifespan of snakes of this species is from 10 to 15 years. In conditions of captivity - much more.

It is worth remembering that human communication with this species of viper representatives can be absolutely safe, the main condition for this is the absence of situations that are impossible for the snake.

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