Southern Burrowing Asp

Atractaspis bibronii©Tyrone ping
Atractaspis bibronii ©Tyrone ping

Southern Burrowing Asp, Atractaspis bibronii, is a venomous small, drab grey, smooth scaled serpent with small eyes and slightly pointed head. It has backward-curved fangs at the front of its mouth. Body is cylindrical and color can be from a brownish pink to black with a lighter belly. Adults average 30-50 cm in length. The snake usually remains underground, but sometimes they come to the surface at night after a rainstorm. The venom is not well understood.

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Tope Apoola
Profession: Writer