Protobothrops mucrosquamatus
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Protobothrops mucrosquamatus is a pit viper species endemic to Asia. Common names include: brown-spotted pit viper, Taiwanese habu and pointed-scaled pit viper. No subspecies are currently recognized. The species was first described by Theodore Cantor in 1839.
Males grow to a maximum total length of 112 cm (44 in) with a tail length of 19.5 cm (7.7 in). Females grow to a maximum total length of 116 cm (46 in) with a tail length of 20.5 cm (8.1 in). The hemipenes are spinose. Scalation: dorsal scales in 25 longitudinal rows at midbody; scales on upper surface of head, small, each scale keeled posteriorly; internasals 5–10 times size of adjacent scales, separated by 3–4 scales; supraoculars, long, narrow, undivided, 14–16 small interoculars in line between them; 2 scales on line between upper preocular and nasal scale; 9–11 upper labials, first upper labial separated from nasal by suture; 2–3 small scales between upper labials and subocular; 2–3 rows of temporal scales above upper labials smooth, above those scales keeled; ventrals 200–218; subcaudals 76–91, all paired.
Color pattern: grayish or olive brown above, with dorsal series of large brown, black-edged spots... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuc Phuong National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 2 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Taiwanese Habu sighting in Taichung on a given day, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 8th most-seen of the 22 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–March and September
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Taiwanese Habu in Taichung on a given day, against under 5% in January, July and November, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Taiwanese Habu sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Taiwanese Habu sightings, Taichung ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Taipei (Taiwan, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Taiwanese Habu is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Taichung (25 verified sightings), 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.
