Bothrops lutzi, the Cerrado lancehead, is a species of venomous snake in the family Viperidae.[3] The species is endemic to Central eastern Brazil.[4] Within the country, it can be found in states such as: Minas  Gerais, Bahia,  Goiás,  Tocantins, Piauí,  and  Ceará.[5] The South American viper has sparked an interest from the scientific community due to its venom, as it is believed to have some therapeutic potential. Scientists have found that the venom carried by B. lutzi has antibacterial and antiparasitic effects, which can help fight against microbial resistance by medical patients, as well as parasitic diseases like leishmaniosis and Chagas’ disease.[6]

Bothrops lutzi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Bothrops
Species:
B. lutzi
Binomial name
Bothrops lutzi
Synonyms[2]
  • Lachesis lutzi
    Miranda-Ribeiro
  • Bothrops iglesiasi
    Amaral, 1923
  • Bothrops neuwiedi bahiensis
    Amaral, 1925
  • Bothrops neuwiedi piauhyensis
    Amaral, 1925
  • Bothrops neuwiedi lutzi
    — Amaral, 1929
  • Bothrops lutzi
    — Silva in Campbell & Lamar, 2004
  • Bothropoides lutzi
    Fenwick et al., 2009
  • Bothrops lutzi
    Carrasco et al., 2012

Etymology

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The specific name, lutzi, is in honor of Adolfo Lutz of the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, who collected the type specimen, upon which Miranda-Ribeiro based his new species description. Adolfo Lutz was the father of Brazilian herpetologist Bertha Lutz.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Costa, G.C. (2010). "Bothrops lutzi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T178493A7558158. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T178493A7558158.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ Species Bothrops lutzi at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ^ McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  4. ^ "Bothrops". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 3 November 2006.
  5. ^ Loebmann, Daniel (2009-01-07). "Reptilia, Squamata, Serpentes, Viperidae, Bothrops lutzi: distribution extension, geographic distribution map". Check List. 5 (3): 373–375. doi:10.15560/5.3.373. hdl:11449/40101. ISSN 1809-127X.
  6. ^ de Menezes, Ramon R.P.P.B.; Torres, Alba F. C.; da Silva, Thiala S. J.; de Sousa, Daniel F.; Lima, Danya B.; Norjosa, Dive B.; Nogueira, Nádia A. P.; Oliveira, Maria F.; de Oliveira, Márcia R.; Monteiro, Helena S. A.; Martins, Alice M. C. (January 2012). "Antibacterial and Antiparasitic Effects of Bothropoides lutzi venom". Natural Product Communications. 7 (1): 1934578X1200700. doi:10.1177/1934578X1200700125. ISSN 1934-578X.
  7. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Bothrops lutzi, p. 163).

Further reading

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  • Amaral A (1923). "New Genera and Species of Snakes". Proceedings of the New England Zoölogical Club 8: 85-105. (Bothrops iglesiasi, new species, pp. 97–99).
  • Miranda Ribeiro [sic] A (1915). "Lachesis lutzi, Uma variedade de L. pictus Tschudi ". Archivos do Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro 17 (3): 3-4. (Lachesis lutzi, new species). (in Portuguese).