Bushmaster

Bushmaster, common name for a venomous snake of the viper family, and the largest viper found in the Americas. It vibrates its tail rapidly when angry, but it does not have a rattle like the related rattlesnake. The bushmaster is found in tropical Latin America from southern Central America to northern Bolivia and eastern Brazil. Commonly reaching 2.5 m (about 8 ft) in length, it may occasionally reach 3.6 m (12 ft). It has a pattern of dark brown or black diamond-shaped blotches along the back and sides of its pale brown body. The bushmaster is the only American pit viper that lays eggs. See Pit Viper.

Scientific classification: The bushmaster is a pit viper belonging to the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. It is classified as Lachesis mutus.