Bushmeyster, or to a surukuk – the largest venomous snake of South America from family gadyukovy, subfamilies of yamkogolovy snakes. This look meets very seldom as prefers to lodge in uninhabited territories. The area of dwelling of a bushmeyster is constantly reduced because of human expansion. Bushmeyster leads a single life.
As the bushmeyster looks
Bushmeyster is a snake up to 3 meters long. Some individuals can grow to 4 meters in length. The weight of a snake is from 3 to 5 kg. Skin of a bushmeyster is covered with scales of a ridge form. The tail of a snake – firm and hollow is interesting. Blows by a tail about plants remind a sound which is made by rattlesnakes. Coloring of a bushmeyster yellowy-brown that allows to mask well in thickets. Poisonous teeth at a snake up to 2.5 cm long.
Food
The bushmeyster during the night period hunts rodents, birds and lizards. Waiting for the victim of a dragon, several weeks in an ambush near tracks can lie. The bushmeyster feels approach of other animals by means of the thermolocators which are in poles between a nostril and an eye. Thermolocators catch the temperature change connected with approach of the victim. All yamkogolovy snakes possess these sense organs. Having defined location of the victim by thermolocators, the snake attacks it and by means of poison will paralyze. Then entirely swallows production.
Reproduction of a bushmeyster
Bushmeyster treats yaytsezhivorodyashchy snakes. The female lays from 10 to 20 eggs in a superficial pole. The entire period of an incubation of a laying the female protects it. Young snakes appear in 76-80 days and at once go to hunting.
Interesting about a bushmeyster
About a bushmeyster there is a set of myths. There are legends that this snake – the evil ghost is obese snakes and can bewitch the person, send on it a dream. Also attribute to this snake ability to extinguish a flame and to exhaust milk at cows and the sleeping women. Scientists made experiments for studying thermolocational properties of a snake. Bushmeystera was completely stuck by eye and ear openings. The snake continued to attack the victim, always precisely defining its location. It is authentically known only of 25 cases of a sting of the person a snake. From them 5 cases from the death. Recent researches proved that poison of a snake is not so toxic as was considered earlier. The Latin name of a snake - Lachesis muta. Formed from a name Lakhesis, goddesses of destiny of Ancient Greek mythology. According to myths, Lakhesis gives a lot to the person till his birth. Because of the unusual thick skin the bushmeyster has one more name – a pineapple snake. Poison of a bushmeyster is used for production of homeopathic drugs. These means are widely applied at treatment of diseases of a cardiovascular and urinogenital system, at arthritis, thrombophlebitis, hemorrhoids, at gynecologic diseases. In the wild nature of a bushmeyster it is possible to catch once in six years. The expeditions sent for catching of a snake in a river basin of Amazon cannot find this rare species.