Bitis caudalis

Bitis caudalis

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Viperoidea

Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Amorphea Cladus: Obazoa Cladus: Opisthokonta Cladus: Holozoa Cladus: Filozoa Cladus: Choanozoa Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: ParaHoxozoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Superphylum: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Cladus: Olfactores Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Cladus: Eugnathostomata Cladus: Osteichthyes Cladus: Sarcopterygii Cladus: Rhipidistia Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes Cladus: Elpistostegalia Cladus: Stegocephali Cladus: Tetrapoda Cladus: Reptiliomorpha Cladus: Amniota Cladus: Sauropsida Classis: Reptilia Cladus: Eureptilia Cladus: Romeriida Cladus: Diapsida Cladus: Neodiapsida Cladus: Sauria Cladus: Lepidosauromorpha Superordo: Lepidosauria Ordo: Squamata Cladus: Unidentata, Episquamata Cladus: Toxicofera Subordo: Serpentes Cladus: Caenophidia Superfamilia: Viperoidea

Familia: Viperidae
Subfamilia: Viperinae
Genus: Bitis
Subgenus: Bitis (Calechidna)
Species: Bitis caudalis

Name

Bitis caudalis (Smith, 1839)

• Syntypes (n=5): BMNH 1865.5.4.15a-e, 3 ♂, 2 ♀.
• Type locality: “sandy districts north of the Cape Colony”, Northern Cape Province, South Africa.

Combinations

• Vipera (Cerastes) caudalis Smith, 1839: unpaginated; plate VII [original combination, replacement name]
• Cerastes caudalis — Gray, 1842 [subsequent combination]
• Bitis caudalis — Boulenger, 1896: 498 [subsequent combination]
• Cobra caudalis — Mertens, 1937 [subsequent combination]

Synonyms

• Vipera ocellata Smith, 1838: 92 [preoccupied by Vipera ocellata Latreille in Sonnini & Latreille, 1801]

References

Primary references

• Smith, A. 1838. Contributions to the Natural History of Southern Africa. Magazine of Natural History 2: 92–94. BHL Reference page. 
• Smith, A. 1838–1849. Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa; Consisting Chiefly of Figures and Descriptions of the Objects of Natural History Collected During an Expedition Into the Interior of South Africa, in the Years 1834, 1835, and 1836; Fitted Out by “The Cape of Good Hope Association for Exploring Central Africa.” Published Under the Authority of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury. Reptilia. Vol. 3. Smith, Elder and Co.: London. [100] + 28 pp., pls. 1–78. BHL Reference page. 
• Boulenger, G.A. 1896. Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III. Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ), Amblycephalidæ, and Viperidæ. British Museum (Natural History): London. xiv + 727 pp. BHL Reference page. 

Links

• Alexander, G.J. & Tolley, K.A. 2021. IUCN: Bitis caudalis  (Least Concern). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T22475165A110344127. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22475165A110344127.en. Accessed on 27 January 2026.

Vernacular names

• English: Horned Adder