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Bothrops moojeni

Bothrops moojeni

Hoge, 1966
Caizaca

Family: Viperidae
Order: Squamata
Class: Reptilia
Phylum / Division: Chordata
Kingdom: Animalia

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Other common names: Caiyaca, Yarará Caiyaca, Caixaca.





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DANGEROUS


Description


Bothrops moojeni, commonly known in English as the Brazilian lancehead, is a species of highly venomous snake in the family Viperidae. It is a pit viper endemic to South America.

Etymology: The specific name, moojeni, is in honor of Brazilian zoologist João Moojen de Oliveira (1904–1985).

Description and behavior: Bothrops moojeni grows to an average total length (tail included) of , with a maximum of already reported. It has a tan, gray-brown or olive-gray color, with 14–21 trapezoidal side markings that are dark gray or completely black. There are 23–29 rows of dorsal scales on the body. The belly is usually white or cream, with scattered dark gray spots. Juveniles have a white tail. The species is terrestrial and nocturnal.

It is considered very defensive. Its body varies from medium to heavy. The broad head is flattened in a lance shape when seen from above, and is distinct from the narrow neck. The snout is not elevated. The eyes are medium in size, with vertically elliptical pupils. The dorsal scales are keeled. B. moojeni is viviparous. Gestation lasts around four months, occurs once a year, and litter size is usually 12–14 neonates. B. moojeni lives an average of 15 years. It preys on small mammals, birds, lizards, snakes and amphibians.

Geographic distribution: Bothrops moojeni is found in northern Argentina, eastern Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.

The type locality is Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.

Habitat: B. moojeni inhabits Araucaria moist forests and the Cerrado.

Common names: In South America common names for Bothrops moojeni include caiçaca, caissaca, caiçara, jacuruçu, and jararacão.

Venom: The venom of Bothrops moojeni has hemolytic and proteolytic action. The venom contains a wide variety of enzymes, such as acidic phospholipase, base A phospholipase, metalloproteinases, serine proteinases, L-amino acid oxidase, and a myotoxin phospholipase A2. The myotoxin phospholipase A2 causes necrosis in muscle fibers, releasing creatine kinase. Symptoms may include intense local pain, edema, muscular necrosis. The venom has an anticoagulant effect on the blood, makes the blood uncoagulable, causes severe hemorrhage and strokes.

Moojenactivase, a procoagulant metalloproteinase is capable to induce DIC with a high toxic potency, characterized by prolongation of Prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin time, consumption of fibrinogen and the plasma coagulation factors like Factor X and II, and thrombocytopenia, it also caused Intravascular hemolysis. The venom has a lethal dose of 0.205 mg / kg for horses. The average yield for an adult female is 335 mg, 63 mg for newborns. Specimens from Minas Gerais, Brazil have been reported to yield 118 mg. Specimens from Argentina have a yield of 248.0 ± 37 mg.

A serine protease was determined by de novo mass spectrometry-based sequencing.

Source: Wikipedia, article Bothrops moojeni. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 15/07/2026.





Geographic distribution


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Species photographs

Count: 14

Foto
Photography ID: 675038
  Adult

Alcinopolis
Mato Grosso do Sul
Brazil
12/27/2025
Glauco Oliveira
Foto
Photography ID: 671235
  Adult

Alcinopolis
Mato Grosso do Sul
Brazil
01/07/2026
Glauco Oliveira
Foto
Photography ID: 666904
  Adult

Caiaponia
Goiás
Brazil
12/29/2025
Glauco Oliveira
Foto
Photography ID: 514734
  Adult

Puerto Iguazú
Misiones
Argentina
11/11/2022
Diego Oscar
Foto
Photography ID: 464403
  Adult

Nova Ponte
Minas Gerais
Brazil
01/31/2021
Glauco Oliveira
Foto
Photography ID: 443449
  Juvenile

Alto Paraíso de Goiás
Goiás
Brazil
01/02/2021
Glauco Oliveira
Foto
Photography ID: 317054
  Adult

Serra do Amolar
Mato Grosso do Sul
Brazil
02/09/2019
Glauco Oliveira
Foto
Photography ID: 298704
  Adult

Puerto Iguazú
Misiones
Argentina
06/22/2018
Gabriel Moresco



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Species records

Count: 13



Page 1 of 2
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
242771207/01/2026BrazilMato Grosso do SulAlcinopolisGlauco Oliveira
241484929/12/2025BrazilGoiásCaiaponiaGlauco Oliveira
243884527/12/2025BrazilMato Grosso do SulAlcinopolisGlauco Oliveira
243882827/12/2025BrazilMato Grosso do SulMonumento Natural Serra do Bom JardimGlauco Oliveira
243879626/12/2025BrazilMato Grosso do SulParque Estadual das Nascentes do Rio TaquariGlauco Oliveira
167237411/11/2022ArgentinaMisionesSelva Iryapú (600 hectáreas), Puerto Iguazú1Diego Oscar
145821924/02/2021ArgentinaMisionesBiosendero Dr. César Napoleón Ayrault, Parque Provincial Puerto PenínsulaErnesto Krauczuk
147029231/01/2021BrazilMinas GeraisNova PonteGlauco Oliveira
139890902/01/2021BrazilGoiásAlto Paraíso de GoiásGlauco Oliveira
88688709/02/2019BrazilMato Grosso do SulSerra do AmolarGlauco Oliveira
Page 1 of 2

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Bothrops moojeni – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 14/09/2026.