ఇసుక పింజరి
ఎఖిస్ ఆఫ్రికా, మధ్య ప్రాచ్యం, పాకిస్థాన్, ఇండియా మరియు శ్రీలంక లలోని పొడి ప్రాంతాలలో కనిపించే విషపూరితమైన పొడ పాముల ప్రజాతి.చిన్న వైన పాములైనప్పటికీ, తొందరగా ఆవేశం తెచ్చుకొనే, కాటేయడానికి సిద్ధంగా ఉండే స్వభావాలకి తోడు అతి ప్రమాదకరమైన విషం కలిగి ఉండటంచేత ఇవి అతి ప్రమాదకరమైనవి. ప్రమాదాన్ని సుచించడానికి ఇవి వాటి వంటిపైన ఉండే గరుకు పొలుసులని రుద్ది రంపముతో కోస్తున్న, (అట్టపై ఇసుఅతో రుద్దుతున్నటువంటి) శబ్దము చేస్తాయి.
సాధారణంగా చిన్నవిగా ఉండే వీటిలో పెద్దవి మహా అంటే 90 సెం.మీ. మించి పొడవు పెరగవు. (35 in.) ("E. pyramidum").
తల పొట్టిగా, వెడల్పుగా బాణం ఆకారంలో మెడనుండి విడిగా ఉంటుంది.మూతి చిన్నగా, గుండ్రంగా ఉంటుంది.కళ్ళు బాగా పెద్దవిగా ఉండి, చక్కగా ముందువైపుకి ఉంటాయి.తలపైభాగం చిన్న, చిన్న, క్రమమైన ఆకారంలేని పొలుసులతో కప్పబడి ఉంటుంది.ఆ పొలుసులు, మృదువుగాకాని, గరుకుగాకాని ఉంటాయి.
శరీరం ఒక మోస్తరు సన్నంగా మరియు గుండ్రంగా ఉంటుంది.వీపు మీది పొలుసులు వంపుగా ఉంటాయి. కానీ పొట్టకిరుపక్కలా ఉండే పొలుసులకు మధ్యన ఎత్తుగా ఉండి పక్కలకు ప్రత్యేకంగా 45దు డిగ్రీల వాలు కలిగి ఉంటాయి. రంపపు పళ్ళలా ఉంటాయి. అందుకే వాటికి ఆ పేరు వచ్చింది. తోక పొట్టిగా ఉంటుంది. The dorsal scales are mostly keeled. However, the scales on the lower flanks stick out at a distinct 45-degree angle and have a central ridge, or keel, that is serrated (hence the common name). The tail is short and the subcaudals single.
Found in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, parts of the Middle East and Africa north of the equator.
All members of this genus have a distinctive threat display, which involves forming a series of parallel C-shaped coils and rubbing them together to produce a sizzling sound, rather like water on a hot plate. The proper term for this is stridulation. As they become more agitated, this stridulating behavior becomes faster and louder. It is postulated that this display evolved as a means of limiting water loss, such as might occur when hissing. However, some authors describe this display as being accompanied by loud hissing.
These snakes are very aggressive and will strike vigorously from the position described above. When doing so, they may overbalance and end up moving towards their aggressor as a result; most unusual behavior for a snake.
Little is known about the eating habits of some "Echis" species. For others the diet is reported to be extremely varied, and may include items such as locusts, beetles, worms, slugs, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, solifugids, frogs, toads, reptiles (including other snakes), small mammals and birds.
Most "Echis" species, such as those found in Africa, are oviparous, while others, such as those in India, are viviparous.
Bites from "Echis" species result in more human fatalities than from any other venomous snakes. The genus is recognized as medically significant in many tropical rural areas. They may be small, but they are very aggressive, quick to strike and possess an extremely virulent hemotoxic venom. They are widespread and live in areas that lack modern medical facilities. There seems to be no significant correlation between the length of the specimen and the symptomology signs that occur in humans. Most victims are bitten after dark when these snakes are active.
Most of these species have venom that contains factors that can cause a consumption coagulopathy and defibrination which may persist for days to weeks. This may result in bleeding anywhere in the body, including the possibility of an intracranial hemorrhage. The latter classically occurs a few days following the bite.
Venom toxicity varies among the different species, geographic locations, individual specimens, sexes, over the seasons, different milkings, and of course the method of injection (SC, IM, IP, IV). Consequently, the LD values for "Echis" venom differ significantly. In mice the intravenous LD ranges from 2.3 mg/kg (U.S. Navy, 1991) to 24.1 mg/kg (Christensen, 1955) to 0.44-0.48 mg/kg (Cloudsley-Thompson, 1988). In humans, the lethal dose is estimated to be 3–5 mg (Minton, 1967). Latifi (1991) notes that venom from females was more than twice as toxic on average than venom from males.
The amount of venom produced also varies. Reported yields include 20–35 mg of dried venom from specimens 41–56 cm in length (Minton 1974, U.S. Navy, 1991), 6–48 mg (16 mg average) from Iranian specimens (Latifi, 1991) and 13–35 mg of dried venom from animals from various other localities (Boquet, 1967). Yield varies seasonally, as well as between the sexes: the most venom is produced during the summer months and males produce more than females.
"*) Not including the nominate subspecies."
) Type species.
Some sources also mention several other species: