Fer-de-lance

The fer-de-lance or Martinique lancehead, Bothrops lanceolatus, is a venomous pit viper of Martinique.

Related Topics:
Pit viper - Martinique

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The name "fer-de-lance" (French for "iron of a lance", i.e., lancehead) is also used for closely related snakes: B. caribbaeus, the Saint Lucia lancehead, of the island of Saint Lucia; and especially B. atrox, the common lancehead, widespread in tropical South America east of the Andes, and B. asper, the terciopelo, of Central and northern South America. Lacépède originally applied the name to all of these snakes, which he considered conspecific. Thus older writings, as well as popular and some scientific use still (including the American Heritage, Merriam-Webster, and New Shorter Oxford dictionaries), often call them "fer-de-lance". However, many scientists and hobbyists now restrict this name to the Martinican species and use the common names given here for the others.

Related Topics:
French - Lance - Saint Lucia lancehead - Saint Lucia - Common lancehead - South America - Andes - Terciopelo - Central - Lacépède

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