Medically Significant Bites by “Colubrid” Snakes - "Venomous" Bites from Non-Venomous Snakes - page 82

Plate 4.20 (A-D and L-O) Boomslang ( Dispholidus typus ). ( Continued)

(D) Dispholidus typus , male, Brown phase, Samaru, Nigeria.
Plate 4.20A, B, and D, photos copyright to David A. Warrell; Plate 4.20C, photo copyright to
Julian White.
(L) Illustration from FitzSimons (1912) with simulated effects of a Boomslang ( D. typus )
envenomation. FitzSimons (1909, 1912) was the first authority to carefully document the
life-threatening potential of D. typus bites. The illustration simulates ecchymoses in order to
emphasize the widespread effects that may occur after a serious envenomation by this species.
(M) Local ecchymotic effects of serious Boomslang ( D. typus ) envenomation. Victims who
receive life-threatening envenomations may present without outward signs, or with extensive
bruising, bleeding, and shock. Laboratory tests of hemostatic function (especially PT and
INR) are fundamental components of clinically assessing any patient bitten by a dispholidine
species.
(N and O) Photograph of ecchymoses from Boomslang ( D. typus ) envenomation. As
shown here, extensive ecchymoses may be one of the signs of life-threatening consumptive
coagulopathy caused by serious envenomation by D. typus (see Sections 4.3 and 4.6).
Plate 4.20 M, photo copyright to Jimmy Thomas; Plate 4.20 N, from EU Schmid Geneeskunde
4, 1962; Plate 4.20 O, taken 20 days after the bite, from Mackay et al., 1960, all rights
reserved.

(A) (B)

Plate 4.21 (A-C) Representative species of the Asian water snakes, genus Enhydris . The
homalopsid genus, Enhydris , consists of approximately 23 aquatic species found primarily in
riparian or estuarine biotopes. These snakes are often generalized feeders, and commonly take
a variety of fish, amphibians as well as other small animals. Thus far, the few reported bites
from Enhydris spp. included only mild local effects.
(A) Plumbeus water snake or common rice paddy snake; ngu pla ( Enhydris plumbea ),
Thailand. Native to southern China, northern Vietnam, and Taiwan, this small (  0.75 m body
length) very stout snake feeds primarily on fish and frogs. The term, plumbeus, refers to its
lead-like coloration.
(B) Bocourts' water snake ( Enhydris bocourti ), Siem Reap, Cambodia. This species is
a small (usually  1.0 m body length), stoutly built, striped water snake that has enlarged,
grooved posterior maxillary teeth, and feeds on frogs and fish. It can be found throughout
Thailand. It is heavily harvested for the snakeskin trade in Cambodia.