Eyelash Viper

The Eyelash Viper or its scientific name "Bothriechis schlegeli" is a venomous pit viper snake species found in South and Central America.  It is also commonly referred to as the eyelash viper, eyelash mountain viper, and Schlegel's viper

This is a relatively small species that rarely exceed 75 cm in length, with females being larger than males. They have a wide, triangular-shaped head, and eyes with vertical pupils. Like all pit vipers, they are solenoglyphous, having large,hypodermic needle -like fangs in the upper jaw that fold back when not in use, and have heat sensitive organs, or pits, located on either side of the head between the eye and nostril.

Its most distinguishing feature, and origin of its common name, is the set of modified scales over the eyes that look much like eyelashes. The eyelashes are thought to aid in camouflage, breaking up the snake's outline among the foliage it usually hides in. B. schlegelii occurs in a wide range of colors, including red, yellow, brown, green, even pink, as well as various combinations therof. They often have black or brown speckling on the base color.