Reptiles · Squamata · Viperidae

Phoorsa

Echis carinatus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The saw-scaled viper is a species of venomous viperid snake of the Middle East and Central Asia, especially the Indian subcontinent. It is the smallest member of the four snake species responsible for causing most of the fatal snakebites within its range. This is due to several factors, including its unobtrusive nature and its frequent occurrence in heavily populated areas. Five subspecies are currently recognised.

Weight

142 g on average

Size

40 cm – 80 cm

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertGrasslandCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Reptile Desert Grassland

39countries 24parks22same family

Fun facts

GeneralIt kills more people by snakebite than any other snake in the world.
It is thought to cause more human deaths than any other snake in the world: not through the potency of its venom, but through its abundance in densely populated farmland across Asia and Africa and its defensive nature.
Its warning is not a hiss: it coils its body into loops and rubs together flank scales with serrated keels, producing a harsh rasp comparable to a saw on wood.
It can move across loose sand with a sideways motion similar to that of the American sidewinder, a case of convergence between snakes from deserts half a world apart.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Arid and semi-arid country, thorn scrub and dryland crops of southern Asia and the Near East
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 5 months of gestation
Litter / clutch size: 10 live young

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echis_carinatus