# Proatheris

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{{Short description|Genus of snakes}}
{{Speciesbox
| image =
| genus = Proatheris
| parent_authority = [Broadley](/source/%3Afr%3ADonald_George_Broadley), 1996
| species = superciliaris
| authority = ([W. Peters](/source/Wilhelm_Peters), 1854)
| synonyms = * ''Proatheris'' <small>Broadley, 1996</small><ref name="McD99">{{cite book|last1=Mac Diarmid|first1=Roy W.|last2=Campbell|first2=Jonathan A.|authorlink2=Jonathan A. Campbell|last3=Touré|first3=TŚhaka A.|title=Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PyWLQgAACAAJ|accessdate=29 November 2013|volume=1|year=1999|publisher=The Herpetologists' League|location=Washington, DC|isbn=978-1-893777-01-9}}</ref>
----
* ''Vipera superciliaris'' <br /><small>W. Peters, 1854</small>
* ''Bitis superciliaris'' <br /><small>&mdash; [Kramer](/source/Eugen_Kramer), 1961</small>
* ''Atheris superciliaris'' <br /><small>&mdash; [Marx](/source/%3Afr%3AHymen_Marx) & [Rabb](/source/George_B._Rabb), 1965</small>
* ''Proatheris superciliaris'' <br /><small>&mdash; Broadley, 1996</small><ref name="McD99"/>
}}

'''''Proatheris''''' (commonly referred to as the '''lowland viper''' and '''swamp viper''' among other names) is a [monotypic](/source/monotypic) [genus](/source/genus) created for the [viper](/source/Viperinae) [species](/source/species), '''''Proatheris superciliaris'''''. This is a small [terrestrial](/source/terrestrial_animal) species [endemic](/source/Endemism) to [East Africa](/source/East_Africa).<ref name="SB95"/> Like all other vipers, it is [venomous](/source/venomous_snake). No [subspecies](/source/subspecies) are currently recognized.<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=634427 |taxon=''Proatheris superciliaris'' |accessdate=31 July 2006}}</ref>

==Description==
''Proatheris superciliaris'' is a small species that averages 40 to 50&nbsp;cm (about 16 to 20 inches) in total length (body + tail), with a maximum total length of {{convert|61|cm|in|abbr=on}}. The females are slightly larger than the males. The head has a somewhat elongated appearance, the top of which is covered with small scales except for a pair of large [supraocular scales](/source/supraocular_scales), which are almost twice as long as they are wide.<ref name="Mal03">Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. {{ISBN|0-89464-877-2}}.</ref>

==Common names==
Common names for the ''Proatheris'' include the lowland viper, swamp viper,<ref name="SB95">Spawls S, [Branch B](/source/William_Roy_%22Bill%22_Branch). 1995. ''The Dangerous Snakes of Africa''. Dubai: Ralph Curtis Books. Oriental Press. 192 pp. {{ISBN|0-88359-029-8}}.</ref> lowland swamp viper,<ref name="NRDB">{{NRDB species|genus=Proatheris|species=superciliaris|date=9 August|year=2007}}</ref> eyebrow viper, swamp adder,<ref name="Mal03"/> Peter's viper, flood-plain viper,<ref name="WOA">{{WOA|page=superciliaris|subject=''Proatheris superciliaris''|date=9 September|year=2007}}</ref> Mozambique viper, African lowland viper,<ref name="Bro73">Brown JH. 1973. ''Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes''. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. {{ISBN|0-398-02808-7}}.</ref> and the domino viper.<ref name="USN91">U.S. Navy. 1991. ''Poisonous Snakes of the World''. US Govt. New York: Dover Publications Inc. 203 pp. {{ISBN|0-486-26629-X}}.</ref>

==Geographic range==
It is found in East Africa. The southern part of its range begins near [Beira](/source/Beira%2C_Mozambique), in central [Mozambique](/source/Mozambique), extends up north over the Mozambique Plain to Quissanga, and through [Malawi](/source/Malawi) and as far north as the floodplains of southern [Tanzania](/source/Tanzania) at the northern end of [Lake Malawi](/source/Lake_Malawi).

The [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) given is ''"Terra Querimba"'' (= Quissanga mainland opposite Ilha Quirimba, Mozambique).<ref name="McD99"/>

Its range is apparently centered on the lower section of the [Zambezi River](/source/Zambezi_River) and spreads out into the coastal plain of central Mozambique and the Shire Valley to [Lake Chilwa](/source/Lake_Chilwa) and Malawi. However, other specimens have been found far from this region, such as in Cape Delgado Province, in north-eastern Mozambique, and Mwaya in south-western Tanzania.<ref name="SB95"/>

==Habitat==
It is almost always found in low-lying [marsh](/source/marsh)es, [floodplain](/source/floodplain)s and land frequently used for grazing cattle. The soil is never too dry, since this would make it difficult for the [rodent](/source/rodent)s that they feed on to dig their burrows. These snakes are entirely terrestrial and are usually found in or around these rodent [burrow](/source/burrow)s.<ref name="Mal03"/>

==Behaviour==
One of the distinguishing characteristics of the ''[Atheris](/source/Atheris)'' group (to which ''Proatheris'' is closely related), is that they have [prehensile tail](/source/prehensile_tail)s. With ''Proatheris'', the young and subadults have this capability, but it is diminished in the adults.<ref name="Mal03"/>

==Feeding==
[Preys](/source/Predation) mainly on small [frog](/source/frog)s and [toad](/source/toad)s. Occasionally, it also feeds on small rodents.<ref name="SB95"/>

==Reproduction==
This species is [viviparous](/source/viviparous), with typically 3-16 neonates.<ref>{{cite book|last=O'Shea|first=Mark|title=Venomous Snakes of the World|year=2008|publisher=New Holland Publishers Ltd|location=London, United Kingdom|isbn=978-1-84773-086-2|pages=83}}</ref>

==Venom==
The first known case of a survivor of [snakebite](/source/snakebite) by this species was reported by Els (1988), involving a {{convert|20|cm|in|abbr=on}} juvenile and 24-year-old victim penetrated by a single fang. The results were painful, but there were none of the strongly [hemotoxic](/source/hemotoxin) symptoms that had been associated with ''[Atheris](/source/Atheris)'' venom up to that point.<ref name="Mal03"/>

In a second case in 1996, a victim experienced severe [hemolysis](/source/hemolysis) and complete [platelet](/source/platelet) destruction after which his liver and kidneys began to fail. When it was feared that the patient might die from [hemolytic-uremic syndrome](/source/hemolytic-uremic_syndrome), [plasmapheresis](/source/plasmapheresis) was performed. Luckily, the patient survived, but it is now obvious that ''P. superciliaris'' venom is very [hemotoxic](/source/hemotoxin).<ref name="WOA-V">{{WOA|page=venom|subject=Venom|date=9 September|year=2007}}</ref>

==Taxonomy==
This species was previously placed in the genus ''[Atheris](/source/Atheris)'' based on skull characteristics and because of its partially prehensile tail.<ref name="Mal03"/>

==Etymology==
The [generic name](/source/Genus), ''Proatheris'', is [Latin](/source/Latin_language) for "before-''atheris''".<ref name="WOA"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Commons|Proatheris superciliaris}}
{{refbegin}}
*[Boulenger, G.A.](/source/George_Albert_Boulenger) 1896. ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the ... Viperidæ.'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.- XXV. (''Vipera superciliaris'', p.&nbsp;491).
*Branch, Bill. 2004. ''Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa''. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. {{ISBN|0-88359-042-5}}. (Genus ''Proatheris'', p.&nbsp;119;  ''Proatheris superciliaris'', pp.&nbsp;119–120 + Plate 14).
*[Broadley, D.G.](/source/%3Afr%3ADonald_George_Broadley) 1996. A review of the tribe Atherini (Serpentes: Viperidae), with descriptions of two new genera. ''African Journal of Herpetology'' '''45''': 40-48. (Genus ''Proatheris'').
*Els R. 1988. ''Atheris superciliaris'' envenomation. ''J. Herpetol. Assoc. Africa'' '''34''': 52.
*Marais J. 1992. ''A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing. 248 pp.
*[Marx H.](/source/%3Afr%3AHymen_Marks), [Rabb G.B.](/source/George_B._Rabb) 1965. Phyletic analysis of fifty characters of advanced snakes. ''Field Zool''. '''63''': 1-321.
*[Peters, W.](/source/Wilhelm_Peters) 1854. ''Diagnosen neuer Batrachier, welche zusammen mit der früher (24. Juli und 17. August) gegebenen Übersicht der Schlangen und Eidechsen mitgelheilt werden. Bericht über die zur Bekanntmachung geeigheten Verhandlugen der Königl. Preuss. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin'' '''1854''': 614-628. (''Vipera superciliaris'', p.&nbsp;625).
*Stevens RA. 1973. A report on the lowland viper, ''Atheris superciliaris'' from the Lake Chilwa floodplain of Malawi. ''Arnoldia (Rhodesia)'' '''22''': 1-22.
{{refend}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2007587}}

Category:Viperinae
Category:Monotypic snake genera
Category:Reptiles described in 1854

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