Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
- Order: Squamata
- Family: Viperidae
- Subfamily: Crotalinae
- Genus: Bothriechis
- Species: Bothriechis marchi (Barbour, 1913)
Common names
- March's palm pit viper
- March’s tree viper
Description
Bothriechis marchi is a small to medium‑sized arboreal pit viper. Adult total length typically ranges from 50 cm to 75 cm, with females generally larger than males. The body is slender with a laterally compressed tail adapted for grasping branches. Dorsal coloration is variable, commonly bright emerald or olive green, sometimes with a faint yellow or brown dorsal stripe; the ventral surface is usually pale yellow to cream. The head is slightly broader than the neck, featuring a distinct, rounded snout and prominent, vertically elliptical pupils. Like other crotalines, it possesses a pair of heat‑sensing pit organs located between the eye and the nostril on each side of the head.
Distribution and habitat
B. marchi is endemic to Central America, occurring in the highland regions of Costa Rica and western Panama. It inhabits premontane and montane cloud forests at elevations of approximately 800 m to 1,800 m above sea level. The species is primarily arboreal, frequenting low vegetation, shrub layers, and the lower canopy, often near streams or moist forest floor.
Behavior and ecology
The species is nocturnal and primarily ambushes prey from a perch. It is known for its relatively docile temperament when approached, though it will bite if threatened. B. marchi is viviparous; females give birth to litters of 4–12 live young after a gestation period of about 6–8 months. Reproductive timing is correlated with the rainy season.
Diet
Its diet consists mainly of small arboreal vertebrates, including frogs, lizards, and occasionally birds. Juveniles may also consume small mammals such as rodents.
Venom
Bothriechis marchi possesses a hemotoxic venom typical of pit vipers. Envenomation in humans can cause local pain, swelling, bruising, and occasionally systemic effects such as coagulopathy. Bites are rarely fatal, particularly with prompt medical treatment, but they are medically significant and require antivenom administration where available.
Conservation status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently classifies Bothriechis marchi as Least Concern. The species has a relatively wide distribution within protected areas, though habitat loss due to deforestation and agricultural expansion poses localized threats. Population trends are considered stable, but ongoing monitoring is recommended.
Etymology
The specific epithet marchi honors an individual surnamed March who collected the type specimen; the precise identity of this person is not definitively documented in the original description.
References
- Barbour, Thomas (1913). “A new species of Bothrops from Costa Rica.” Proceedings of the United States National Museum 45(1945): 267‑269.
- McDiarmid, Roy W.; Campbell, Jonathan A.; Touré, T'Shaka (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League.
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Bothriechis marchi assessment, 2022.
This entry reflects information available from peer‑reviewed taxonomic and herpetological sources up to 2024.