Description
Atractaspis microlepidota is black in color, with the ventral (belly) side having a lighter, “flatter” tone than that of the dorsal (back) side. The body scales are smooth. The head is flattened and contains a blunt snout. The neck of Atractaspis is not well defined, and the tail is relatively short. One of the differences between Atractaspis and Viperidae is the fact that the head of Atractaspis is covered in plates, rather than small scales like those of Viperidae. The average size is about 18 inches (45 cm), with some growing up to 30 inches (75 cm).
Atractaspis microlepidota has from 29 to 37 rows of dorsal scales, more rows than any other species of Atractaspis. Ventrals 212–245; anal entire; subcaudals 26–37, entire. Six upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye and largest.
Read more about this topic: Small-scaled Burrowing Asp
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