Fig. 35.—Skull of Causus rhombeatus. (After G. A. Boulenger, op. cit.)
(4) C. lichtensteinii.—Snout obtuse; scales in 15 rows; 142-144 ventrals; subcaudals 15-21, single.
Colour greyish, with rather indistinct darker chevron-shaped cross-bands.
Total length, 413 millimetres; tail 35.
Habitat: West Africa (Gold Coast), Congo.
(b) Vipera.
(For the characters of this genus, see p. 23,—Europe.)
In North Africa are found Vipera latastii, V. ammodytes, and especially V. lebetina, the range of which extends from Morocco to Northern India. Vipera superciliaris, which occurs on the coast of Mozambique, has the snout rounded, and the head covered with small, imbricate, keeled scales, with a large supraocular shield; nostril very large, between two nasal shields; scales on the body strongly keeled, in 27 rows; 142 ventrals; 40 subcaudals.
The colour is pale reddish-brown or orange, with blackish transverse bars broken by a longitudinal yellow band on each side; the belly is white, spotted with black.