Reptiles
Malayan Pit Viper
Calloselasma rhodostoma
In the leaf litter of a rubber plantation in Thailand, a Malayan pit viper lies coiled and motionless, its dark triangles dissolving into the brown of the fallen leaves.
Overview
The Malayan pit viper, Calloselasma rhodostoma, is a Least Concern venomous snake of forest, plantations, and farmland across mainland Southeast Asia. Its leaf-like camouflage, heat-sensing pits, and anticlotting venom make it both a serious danger to workers and a source of a medicine.
A viper that is also a medicine
One component of the Malayan pit viper’s venom was developed into ancrod, a drug that breaks down clotting proteins and was tested as a treatment for strokes.
Status
Least Concern, widespread across a large range.
Malayan Pit Viper: common questions
How does the Malayan pit viper hide?
Its tan body with dark triangles along each side blends with fallen leaves on the forest floor.
What was ancrod?
It was a drug developed from a component of the viper's venom that stops blood from clotting, and it has been tested as a treatment for strokes.
Does the Malayan pit viper lay eggs?
Yes, it lays eggs, which the female guards until they hatch.
Where is the Malayan pit viper found?
It lives in forest, plantations, and farmland across mainland Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.