Causus rhombeatus
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Causus rhombeatus, commonly known as the rhombic night adder, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. No subspecies are recognized as being valid.
With an average total length (tail included) of 60 cm (24 in), C. rhombeatus is the largest member of the genus Causus. The longest individual ever recorded was a male, 93 cm (37 in) in total length, collected in eastern Zimbabwe.
The head has a snout that is relatively blunt (i.e., more rounded than in other members of this genus), on the sides of which the nostrils are positioned. The circumorbital ring consists of 2–3 preoculars, 1–2 postoculars, and 1–2 suboculars that separate the eye from the supralabials. The temporal scales usually number 2+3, sometimes 2+4, but very rarely 2+2 or 3+3. There are 6 supralabial scales, very rarely 7. The sublabial scales usually number 7 or 10, rarely 8, and very rarely 11, 12 or 13. The first 3–4 sublabials are in contact with the anterior chin shields. The posterior chin shields are small and often indistinguishable from the gulars.
At midbody there are 15–21 rows of dorsal scales that are moderately... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rhombic Night Adder sighting in Addo Elephant National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 25th most-seen of the 27 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March–April and June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rhombic Night Adder in Addo Elephant National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May and July–February, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rhombic Night Adder sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Rhombic Night Adder sightings, Addo Elephant National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Garden Route National Park (South Africa, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rhombic Night Adder is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Addo Elephant National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
