Pallas's Shieldhead - Kadimki Kalcantumshuk

Common Shieldnose, or Pallas's Shieldnose

Shieldnoses are reptiles that belong to the family of pit vipers.

Unlike most terrestrial vertebrates, shieldnoses have not only standard sensory organs but also specialized ones that allow them to detect thermal radiation.

The heads of shieldnoses are covered with large shields, which is where the name of these snakes comes from.

They are of medium size: the body length is usually 55–60 cm. The upper part of the body is gray-brown or brown of various shades. Along the back and tail, there are transverse dark spots, the edges of which are darker than the center. On the sides of the body, there is a series of longitudinal, smaller dark spots. Individuals can be found in brick-red or black colors.

The neck constriction is well-defined. The pupil is vertical. It is distinguished from all other snake species by a facial pit between the eye and the nostrils.

They inhabit a variety of biotopes: mountain forests, shrubs, steppes, semi-deserts, and subalpine meadows. They can ascend to 3000 m above sea level and higher. They hibernate in burrows of rodents and crevices of rocks. They appear in spring at various times, depending on weather conditions, from early March to late May. Shieldnoses are active during the day, at dusk, and at night. They hunt any animals they can swallow. Their diet mainly consists of rodents, occasionally birds, and less frequently lizards. Young individuals feed on insects or small lizards.

Female shieldnoses, like most viperids, give birth to live young. The offspring emerge in translucent membranes, from which they are immediately freed. A single female can give birth to 2 to 12 young, which reach a length of 15-20 centimeters. The coloration of the young is fully identical to that of adult individuals.

Initially, the young feed on invertebrates, and as they grow, they switch to larger prey.

The shieldnose is venomous, but there are no known cases of fatal outcomes for humans bitten by this snake. Its venom is used to prepare medicinal products.

Distribution: throughout Kyrgyzstan.

Snakes listed in the Red Book