Tags: Chinese Moccasin | Deinagkistrodon acutus | snake

Profile
Found in underbrush of mountain forests. It often lies in wait for prey coiled up, and its coloration resembles that of dried leaves, making it hard to see. It is very aggressive and the venom can kill quite quickly, so particular care must be taken. It is mostly active in the mornings and at dusk, with a diet that consists mostly of frogs, lizards, birds and rodents. Eggs are usually laid between June and August with 11 to 35 eggs per nest. The eggs hatch after 3 weeks to 1 month and the babies are around 21cm in length. The females exhibit egg protection behavior.

Morphology
This is a medium-sized snake species that grows up to a maximum length of 150cm. The body is slightly thick with a triangular head and upturned rostral. There are many triangular black marks on both side of the body, so it is easy to identify.

National Museum of Natural Science (The Digital Museum of Nature & Culture)