The Ussuri mamushi is a small venomous from the Russian Far East, northeastern China, and Korea, where it's the most common pit viper. It doesn't live in the wild in the US. It's also called the red-tongued pit viper.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Adults are usually about 16–24 in (40–60 cm) long. The body is reddish or dark brown with a row of dark-edged round blotches along the back. It has a triangular head and a red tongue.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- low mountains
- valleys
- farmland near hills
- Range
- Found in Primorsky Krai in Russia, northeastern China, and across the Korean Peninsula including Jeju Island. Not found in the wild in North America.
- Preferred conditions
- Lives from sea level up to about 3,300 ft (1,000 m), often hiding under rocks.
Behavior
- Diet
- Mainly frogs, plus fish, lizards, other snakes, and centipedes.
Life cycle
- Breeding season
- In Korea, young are born in August and September. Females don't give birth every year.
- Litter size
- About 2–10 live young
Cautions
- Cautions
- A venomous pit viper.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
- Status
- In Korea, poaching is reducing numbers, and catching it is banned by law.
More species to explore
Record what you meet and build your own collection
Your photos are kept with their date and place, and you can fill regional albums one species at a time.