# Lachesis stenophrys

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Species of snake

Lachesis stenophrys Conservation status Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Viperidae Genus: Lachesis Species: L. stenophrys Binomial name Lachesis stenophrys Cope, 1876 Synonyms[2][3] Lachesis stenophrys Cope, 1876 Lachesis muta stenophrys — Taylor, 1951 Lachesis stenophrys — Zamudio & Greene, 1997

***Lachesis stenophrys***, [commonly](/source/Common_name) called the **Central American bushmaster**,[4] is a [species](/source/Species) of [pit viper](/source/Crotalinae) in the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Viperidae](/source/Viperidae). The species is native to [Central America](/source/Central_America).[3]

## Etymology and taxonomy

The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)), *stenophrys*, is derived from the [Greek](/source/Greek_language) words *stenos*, meaning "narrow", and *ophrys*, meaning "brow" or "eyebrow".[5] There are no [subspecies](/source/Subspecies) that are recognized as being valid.[3][6] [Campbell](/source/Jonathan_A._Campbell) and [Lamar](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/William_W._Lamar) (2004) also recognized *[Lachesis acrochorda](/source/Lachesis_acrochorda)* ([García](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Evaristo_Garc%C3%ADa), 1896) as a valid species,[5] which [McDiarmid](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Roy_Wallace_McDiarmid) et al. (1999) had treated as a synonym of *L. stenophrys.*[2] The Reptile Database follows the position of Campbell and Lamar.[3]

## Description

Adults of *L. stenophrys* commonly grow to more than 200 cm (6 feet 6¾ inches) and may exceed 330 cm (10 feet 10 inches) in total length (including tail). [Ditmars](/source/Raymond_Ditmars) (1910) reported a specimen from [Costa Rica](/source/Costa_Rica) that was 11 feet 4 inches (349 cm). Many accounts exist of much larger specimens, but these are poorly documented. [Solórzano](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Alejandro_Sol%C3%B3rzano) (2004) cites historical records that put the maximum length at 360 cm (11 feet 9¾ inches).

It has a broadly rounded head and a snout that is not elevated. Typically, the species has a pronounced middorsal ridge that is most distinct on the last quarter of the body.[5]

The color pattern is darker than that of *[L. muta](/source/Lachesis_muta)*.[4]

## Geographic range

*L. stenophrys* is found in Central America in the Atlantic lowlands of southern [Nicaragua](/source/Nicaragua), [Costa Rica](/source/Costa_Rica) and [Panama](/source/Panama), as well as the Pacific lowlands of central and eastern Panama. The [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) given is "Sipurio" ([Limón Province](/source/Lim%C3%B3n_Province), Costa Rica).[2]

## Habitat

*L. stenophrys* occurs in [tropical rainforest](/source/Tropical_rainforest) and lower montane wet forest where annual precipitation averages 2,000-4,000 mm (79–157 inches), which is heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. In the drier areas of Nicaragua, it can be found in [gallery forests](/source/Gallery_forest) as well as forests that are seasonally dry, but then never far from sources of water. This species is hardly ever encountered outside of [old growth forest](/source/Old_growth_forest).[5] It is found at altitudes from sea level to 1,100 m (3,600 ft).[1]

## Behavior

*L. stenophrys* is [terrestrial](/source/Terrestrial_locomotion) and [nocturnal](/source/Nocturnality).[1]

## Diet

*L. stenophrys* [preys](/source/Predation) predominately upon [spiny rats](/source/Echimyidae) and other small [rodents](/source/Rodent).[1]

## Reproduction

*L. stenophrys* is [oviparous](/source/Oviparity).[3]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-IUCN_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-IUCN_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-IUCN_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-IUCN_1-3) [Acosta Chaves, V.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/V%C3%ADctor_J._Acosta-Chaves); [Batista, A.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Abel_Batista); García Rodríguez, A.; Vargas Álvarez, J.; Dwyer, Q. (2021). ["*Lachesis stenophrys*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/203669/2769592). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2021** e.T203669A2769592. Retrieved 3 February 2022.{{[cite journal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_journal)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-McD99_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-McD99_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-McD99_2-2) [McDiarmid RW](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Roy_Wallace_McDiarmid), [Campbell JA](/source/Jonathan_A._Campbell), [Touré TA](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/T%27Shaka_A._Tour%C3%A9) (1999). *Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1.* Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-893777-00-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-893777-00-6) (series). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-893777-01-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-893777-01-4) (volume).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RDB_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RDB_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-RDB_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-RDB_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-RDB_3-4) [*Lachesis stenophrys*](http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Lachesis&species=stenophrys) at the [Reptarium.cz Reptile Database](http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/). Accessed 5 September 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Meh87_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Meh87_4-1) [Mehrtens JM](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/John_M._Mehrtens) (1987). *Living Snakes of the World in Color*. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8069-6460-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8069-6460-X).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-C&L04_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-C&L04_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-C&L04_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-C&L04_5-3) Campbell JA, [Lamar WW](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/William_W._Lamar) (2004). *The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere*. 2 volumes. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates. 870 pp., 1,500 plates. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8014-4141-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8014-4141-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ITIS_6-0)** ["*Lachesis stenophrys*"](https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634897). [Integrated Taxonomic Information System](/source/Integrated_Taxonomic_Information_System). Retrieved 4 August 2008.

## Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Lachesis stenophrys](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Lachesis_stenophrys).

- [Cope ED](/source/Edward_Drinker_Cope) (1876). "On the Batrachia and Reptilia of Costa Rica. With Notes on the Herpetology and Ichthyology of Nicaragua and Peru". *Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia* ["1875"] Series 2, **8**: 93-183. (*Lachesis stenophrys*, new species, p. 152).

- Coralles, Greivin; Meidinger, Robert; Rodríguez, Santos; Chacón, Danilo; Gómez, Aarón (2014). "Reproduction in captivity of the Central American bushmaster (*Lachesis stenophrys*, Serpentes: Viperidae), in Costa Rica". *Cuadernos de Herpetología* **28** (2): 137–139.

- Kane, Daniel; [Tapley, Benjamin](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Tapley); Guthrie, Amanda; Sparrow, Sophie; Tahas, Stamatios A.; [Michaels, Christopher J.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Christopher_J._Michaels) (2022). "Herpetoculture Notes: A novel approach to sexing *Lachesis stenophrys* (Serpentes: Viperidae) using radiography". *Herpetological Review* **53** (1): 54–57.

- [Zamudio KR](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Raquel_Zamudio), [Greene HW](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Harry_W._Greene) (1997). "Phylogeography of the bushmaster (*Lachesis muta*: Viperidae): implications for neotropical biogeography, systematics, and conservation". *Biological Journal of the Linnean Society* **62** (3): 421–442.

Taxon identifiers Lachesis stenophrys Wikidata: Q2709368 Wikispecies: Lachesis stenophrys ADW: Lachesis_stenophrys CoL: 6NR8L EoL: 792730 GBIF: 5221067 iNaturalist: 31048 IRMNG: 10358778 ITIS: 634897 IUCN: 203669 NCBI: 88085 Observation.org: 100237 Open Tree of Life: 123858 RD: stenophrys

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lachesis stenophrys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lachesis_stenophrys) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lachesis_stenophrys?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.