fer-de-lance

The fer-de-lance is a group of extremely venomous pit vipers found in tropical America and Asia. These snakes, belonging to the viper family (Viperidae), are characterized by a small sensory pit between their eye and nostril. They typically have a broad, triangular head and can grow to be about 1.2 to 2 meters (4 to 7 feet) long. Their coloration is usually gray or brown, with black-edged diamond patterns. The name "fer-de-lance" originates from French, meaning "lance head," and was initially used for a specific species found in Martinique. However, the name is now frequently applied to other species within the genus Bothrops, such as B. asper and B. atrox, and can collectively refer to all snakes in the Bothrops genus of Central and South America, as well as the Trimeresurus genus of Asia. Their bite can be fatal to humans.12