Russell's Viper

This shot was taken in Mysore Zoo, Snake park.

Distributed throughout the country upto Assam. Not found in Indian islands, Himalayan hills and most of the North-states. Recorded from following states: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Daman & Diu, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, West Bengal. Also found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Venom Type:  Haemotoxic
Family:  Viperidae

Characteristics for identification:
This species can be identified easily by robust and stout body covered with keeled scales. In three rows eye or almond like spots found in whole dorsal body. This character helps people to differentiate between Russell's Viper and non-venomous Indian Rock Python which is found in the same range. It can be easily identified by checking oval shaped hollow or solid spots in three rows in dorsal body and highly keeled non-shiny scales.

Description:

New born- 24cm.
Average length- 100cm (3.3ft).
Maximum length- 180cm (6ft).

Dorsal -

Body stout, robust and covered with highly keeled pointed and dry looking scales. Dorsal light or dark grayish-brown, reddish, orange or entirely gray occasionally. Color and patterns become faint in adults or sometimes adults fund to be completely patternless. Continuous or discontinuous eye or almond like hollow or solid spots of dark brown or blackish color present in three longitudinal rows along the body; starts from head and generally become faint or absent on tail side. Side spots smaller and more rounded than spots present on the top and generally discontinuous.

Ventral -

Belly white or light yellow with deep dark brown or blackish semi lunar spots on the edge of most of ventral scales. Underside of tail usually darker (brown or deep yellow) than ventral scales with paired subcaudals.

Head -

Head triangular, pointed with small keeled scales; clearly broader than neck. Two triangular shaped spots of rounded edge present on the top. Upper lip pinkish white mostly. Supra nasal crescentic with large nostril. Moderate eyes have vertically elliptical pupil. Two very long fangs present in front side of mouth from birth.

Tail -

Rather small tail with pointed tip and covered with typical keeled scales; usually without patterns.

Hide Scalation

Head:

10-12 supralabials; 10 to 15 small size scales around eyes.
Dorsal:

Highly keeled scales in 25-29:27-33:21-23 rows.
Ventral:

153-180; anal undivided.
Sub Caudal:
41-64; divided.

Habitat:

Found both in plains and moderate elevation up to approximately 4800ft; more common in plains. Distributed in variety of forests including rainforest, mixed, dry, moist deciduous forest, scrub lands, grassland, wetland etc. Habitat includes dry open lands, agricultural fields, open country, scrubs having low bushes, rocky terrain having mounds & vegetation etc. Hides in mounds, holes, piles, caves, cracks, dense leaf litters, dense vegetation etc.

Natural History:

Russell's Viper is a nocturnal species which choose nights for foraging and other life activities. Seen at daytime during basking which can retain for most of the day during winters. Shows terrestrial activity and choose drier surrounding. Locomotion usually slow but creeps in somewhat jumpy manner after threatening. Behaviour alert and aggressive if one comes under its attacking range or sitting site. On provocation make a plate like rounded coil with head at center and produce whistle or pressure cooker like sound to alarm its enemy. On further disturbance gives random attacks to scratch enemy's body parts and may or may not deliver its haemotoxic venom. Mating season starts from winters and usually retains up to starting of summer. Male combat also observed during the same period to show dominance for breeding female. Reproduction ovoviviparous; female directly gives birth to 6-96 young during summer to monsoon months. Such large clutch size is not found in any other Viper or Pit Viper of India. However in such large clutch size many individuals usually born dead or die after few hours of birth due to lack of proper nutrition and lack of proper development during gestation.

Diet:

Feeds chiefly on rodents and small mammals; also feeds on birds, lizards, frogs.

Threats:

Road kill mortality, killing due to its venom potency and aggression on encounter with humans on field are two most commonly known threats. Illegal venom trade for various use including medical and research use is regularly noticed in parts of its range. In many parts of country it is exploited for skin and edible use.

Courtesy - www.Indiansnakes.org

Butterfly

Spider

Fear of spiders! Arachnophobia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnophobia

How do spiders hunt?

How do spiders hunt?

http://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/on-exhibit-posts/how-do-spiders-hunt

Spider web

Here, There, Everywhere
Spiders are endemic to every continent except Antarctica. Some species are terrestrial, that is they live on the ground, while others are arboreal, meaning they live in trees. Beyond this distinction, they've also displayed a penchant for living in far-flung climates and habitats, from tropical forests to ice-cold caves. Some specialist species live in a combination of extreme conditions. Case in point, the Kauai cave spider, who lives in lava-tube habitats in Hawaii. While some spiders are social, most are solitary and interact with each other only to fight or mate.
The Good
Spiders eat lots of insects, mostly those smaller than themselves. Taken as a whole and given the diversity of species assemblages in most ecosystems, spiders' primary niche in nearly every ecosystem is controlling insect populations. Some families, like orb weavers, do this through passive hunting with their signature webs. Others, like wolf spiders, do this through active hunting. Because many species overwinter, they can help reduce prey numbers early in the agricultural season, giving farmers, horticulturalists and gardeners a leg up on the season, according to Colorado State University. Spiders also kill other arachnids and spiders -- even those of the same species -- which helps keep their own numbers in check. Furthermore, spiders are an important food source for a variety of birds, lizards, wasps, and, especially in deserts, mammals.
Specifically Nondescript
Most spider species are generalists and have long generation times in comparison to prey, ergo there are no natural control species of spiders per se, according to the University of Michigan. This means introducing a given type of spider to an area -- or removing it -- can have little to no effect on most ecosystems. Indeed, studies synthesized and summarized by University of Maine researchers in 2003 show multiple spider species are more effective at reducing insect populations than single species. As such, it's hard to pinpoint a precise niche for a precise spider. They're no go, for instance, in stopping the singular, explosive outbreak of a single pest species. Still, spiders are far from superfluous to a given ecosystem when considered as a whole. If anything, new, different spider species are important for the simple fact that they're different from those already there.
Considering People
Spiders introduced to humans in natural or artificial ecosystems, integrated or not, likewise have good and bad impacts. On the positive side, chemicals harvested from spider venom help control and treat several diseases. Likewise, spider silk, which has proved to be the strongest natural material, has inspired mechanical engineering to new heights. On the negative side, spider are blamed for numerous bites, some of which have been deadly. All spiders have venom, but, in fact, most of the dangerous ones shy away from people. Moreover, their bites aren't deadly to healthy adults; they're just painful and really uncomfortable.

Courtesy www.animal. mom.me