Echis pyramidum
Echis pyramidum is a species of venomous viper endemic to Northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
This species, along with the closely related Echis ocellatus cause the most cases of snakebite deaths in the world. Two antivenoms are available to counteract snakebites from this species: Polyvalent Anti-viper Venom by VACSERA in Egypt and SAIMR Echis antivenom by South African Vaccine Producers.Etymology
The specific name, pyramidum, refers to the Egyptian pyramids.Description
The average total length is with a maximum total length of .Northeast African carpet viper, Egyptian saw-scaled viper, Egyptian carpet viper, Geoffroy's carpet viper.In northeastern Africa it occurs in northern Egypt, central Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, and northern Kenya. There are also scattered populations in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula in western Saudi Arabia, Yemen, South Yemen, and in Oman.
The type locality given is "Egypte".
Disjunct populations reportedly occur in Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and northern Egypt. It is absent in southern Egypt.Subspecies
