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This genus has many representatives in Asia and the New World. The American species are for the most part of larger size and more formidable.

They are characterised by a triangular head, covered with small scales or small shields, and by a cylindrical or compressed body. The Asiatic species have the subcaudal scales in two rows and the tail short, and often prehensile, which enables them to climb trees or bushes, where they lie in wait for their prey.

Their classification is based upon the following characters:—

A. First infralabial scale in contact with its fellow.

I. Scales in 21–25 (rarely 27) rows; 129–158 ventrals; 21–57 subcaudals; 5–9 series of scales between the supraocular shields; tail non-prehensile.

Fig. 32.—Lachesis okinavensis. (After G. A. Boulenger, op. cit.)

(1) L. monticola.—Supraocular shields large, separated by 5–8 scales; snout obtuse.

Colour brown or yellowish above, brown or pale yellow on the sides, with a brown temporal streak. Belly white, spotted with brown.

Total length, 740 millimetres; tail 115.

Habitat: Tibet, Himalayas (2,000 to 8,000 feet), Hills of Assam, Burma, Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Sumatra.

(2) L. okinavensis (fig. 32).—Supraocular shields large, separated by a transverse series of 6–9 scales; end of snout pointed and turned up.

Colour brown above, with dark transverse bands and a light temporal streak. Belly brown, spotted with black, especially on the sides.

Total length, 350 millimetres; tail 60.

Habitat: Okinawa, Loo Choo Islands.

(3) L. strigatus.—Supraocular shields small, sometimes broken up, separated by 8–11 convex scales in juxtaposition.

Colour brown above, with black spots often forming a median zigzag band; temporal band black; belly whitish, spotted with grey or black; end of tail yellow or reddish.

Total length, 480 millimetres; tail 55.

Habitat: Hills near Bombay, Deccan, Anamallays and Nilgherries.

II. Scales in 27–37 rows; 174–231 ventrals; 54–90 subcaudals; tail non-prehensile.

(4) L. flavoviridis.—Scales in 33–37 rows; 222–231 ventrals; 75–90 subcaudals; 8–9 supralabials.

Coloration pale brown or greenish-yellow above, marbled with black; longitudinal black streaks symmetrically disposed on the head; belly yellow or greenish, with darker spots.

Total length, 1,215 millimetres; tail 220.

Habitat: Loo Choo Islands.

This snake is not infrequently termed by naturalists Trimeresurus riukianus.

(5) L. cantoris.—Scales in 27–31 rows; 174–184 ventrals; 55–76 subcaudals; 13 supralabials.

Coloration pale brown or dull green, with small black spots; a whitish streak along the sides of the body; belly white or greenish.

Total length, 1,020 millimetres; tail 140.

Habitat: Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

III. Scales in 21–27 rows; 160–218 ventrals; 54–92 subcaudals; tail not or scarcely prehensile.

(6) L. jerdonii.—7–9 scales in a line between the supraocular shields; scales in 21 or 23 rows; 164–188 ventrals; 54–67 subcaudals.

Coloration greenish-yellow or olive above, mixed with black, a dorsal series of reddish-brown transverse rhomboidal spots; upper lip yellow, with one or two black spots; belly yellow, more or less marbled with black.

Total length, 930 millimetres; tail 145.

Habitat: Assam, Tibet, Upper Yang-tse.

(7) L. mucrosquamatus.—10–15 scales in a line between the supraocular shields; scales in 25–27 rows; 183–218 ventrals; 72–92 subcaudals. Colour brownish-grey above, with a series of large black median spots and smaller ones on the sides; a black streak from the eye to the angle of the mouth; belly brownish, spotted with white.

Total length, 1,050 millimetres; tail 210.

Habitat: Formosa, Assam.

(8) L. luteus.—12 or 13 scales in a line between the supraocular shields; scales in 23–25 rows; 182–186 ventrals; 72–74 subcaudals; supraocular shields large.

Colour yellow above, with a series of dark rhomboidal spots, and a dorsal, black-spotted zigzag band; a black streak on each side of the head behind the eyes; belly yellowish, spotted with grey.

Total length, 945 millimetres; tail 164.

Habitat: Loo Choo Islands.

(9) L. purpureomaculatus.—12–15 scales in a line between the supraocular shields; scales in 25–27 rows; ventrals 160–182; subcaudals 55–76; supraocular shield very narrow, sometimes broken up.

Coloration purplish-black above, sometimes variegated with pale green; flanks pale green; belly olive or greenish-white, uniform or spotted with black. Some specimens are entirely green.

Total length, 980 millimetres; tail 150.

Habitat: Himalayas, Bengal, Assam, Burma, Malay Peninsula, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Pulo-Pinang, Sumatra.

IV. Scales in 21 rows (rarely 19 or 23); 7–13 series of scales between the supraoculars; tail more or less prehensile.

(10) L. gramineus (Syn. Trimeresurus gramineus. The Green Pit Viper).—145–175 ventral scales; 53–75 subcaudals; snout slightly projecting; supraocular shield narrow.

Colour bright green, rarely olive or yellowish, with or without darker transverse bands; end of tail yellow or red; belly green, yellow, or white.

Total length, 870 millimetres; tail 150.

Habitat: South-eastern Asia, Darjeeling, Himalayas, Ganges Delta, Siam, Southern China, Hong Kong, Formosa, Java, Sumatra, Timor.

Fig. 33.—Lachesis flavomaculatus. (After G. A. Boulenger, op. cit.)

(11) L. flavomaculatus (fig. 33).—170–187 ventral scales; 53–73 subcaudals; snout projecting, obliquely truncate; supraocular shield narrow.

Colour bright green or olive, sometimes barred with reddish-brown; belly green, olive, or greenish-yellow; end of tail sometimes red.

Total length, 1,060 millimetres; tail 160.

Habitat: Philippine Islands.

(12) L. sumatranus.—180–191 ventral scales; 58–82 subcaudals; supraocular shield large.

Coloration bright green, with or without black transverse bands; yellowish band on each side; belly yellow or green, with or without black speckles; end of tail red.

Total length, 1,100 millimetres; tail 180.

Habitat: Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo, Palawan.

(13) L. anamallensis.—138–158 ventral scales; 44–58 subcaudals.

Colour green, olive, yellowish, or reddish-brown; a black temporal band; belly pale green, olive, or yellow; tail usually black and yellow.

Total length, 730 millimetres; tail 110.

Habitat: Anamallay and Nilgherry Hills, South India.

(14) L. trigonocephalus.—Scales in 17–19 rows, 145–170 ventrals; 53–67 subcaudals.

Coloration green, with or without black transverse bands or spots; a black temporal streak; belly green or yellow; end of tail usually black.

Total length, 790 millimetres; tail 130.

Habitat: Ceylon.

(15) L. macrolepis.—Scales in 13–15 rows; 134–143 ventrals; 48–56 subcaudals.

Colour bright green or olive; belly pale green.

Total length, 680 millimetres; tail 120.

Habitat: Southern India.

B. First lower labial shield divided; the portion separated off forms a pair of small supplementary dental shields; 144–176 ventral scales; 38–57 subcaudals; tail prehensile.

(16) L. puniceus.—Scales in 21–23 rows; 12–14 series of scales between the supraocular shields.

Colour grey, brown, or red; belly spotted with brown; end of tail red.

Total length, 640 millimetres; tail 90.

Habitat: Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Natuna Islands.

(17) L. borneensis.—Scales in 19–21 rows; 10–11 series of scales between the supraocular shields; 152–168 ventrals; 43–65 subcaudals.

Total length, 770 millimetres; tail 105.

Habitat: Borneo, Sumatra.

C. (18) L. wagleri.—Scales in 19–27 rows, 127–154 ventrals; 45–55 subcaudals; tail prehensile.

Colour green, with darker or lighter markings, black and yellow, or nearly entirely black.

Total length, 980 millimetres; tail 150.

Habitat: Malay Peninsula and Archipelago.