---
title: "What the sources say about the Russell's Viper | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "34 claims from the Russell's Viper profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
image: "https://animaltracks.wiki/images/animals/russells-viper-1.webp"
canonical: "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/russells-viper/sources/"
---

# What the sources say about the Russell's Viper (*Daboia russelii*)

> 34 claims from the Russell's Viper profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Russell's Viper](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/russells-viper/)

## Suraj et al. (2021). Daboia russelii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T172710A1372376.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2021-3.rlts.t172710a1372376.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). (note: stats.conservationStatus. Assessed 2019 (published in the 2021-3 Red List); read through GBIF's copy of the Red List, which is cited in this note rather than as a source.) |

## Daboia russelii. The Reptile Database.

https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Daboia&species=russelii

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka | Pakistan, India (Assam, Sikkim, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Northern Bengal, Telangana, Odisha), Nepal, Sri Lanka (elevation up to 1500 m), Bangladesh, Bhutan (note: stats.habitat; Bhutan left out because the same page says 'Possibly in Bhutan') |
| Lengths of up to 1.6 metres (about 5 feet) are not uncommon. | Total length to 1600 mm are not uncommon (fide Smith 1943:484) (note: 1600 mm = 1.6 m = 5.2 ft) |
| The Reptile Database says snakes reaching 1.6 metres, a little over 5 feet, are not uncommon. | Total length to 1600 mm are not uncommon (fide Smith 1943:484) (note: FAQ; 1600 mm = 5.25 ft) |
| The head is clearly set off from the neck. | head very distinct from neck |
| The back is light brown with three lengthwise rows of large, black-edged blotches, and the middle row often joins into a chain-like stripe. | color above light brown with 3 longitudinal series of large black-margined brown spots or blotches, the vertebral series often merging to form a chain-like longitudinal stripe |
| The eye has a vertical, oval pupil, and no sensory pit sits between nostril and eye. | No sensory pit between nostril and eye; ... eye, with vertically elliptic pupil |
| It gives birth to live young, 5 to 50 at a time. | ovoviviparous, 5-50 live offspring. |
| It lives in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. | Pakistan, India (Assam, Sikkim, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Northern Bengal, Telangana, Odisha), Nepal, Sri Lanka (elevation up to 1500 m), Bangladesh, Bhutan |
| In Sri Lanka it is recorded up to 1,500 m. | Sri Lanka (elevation up to 1500 m) |
| The Reptile Database calls it possibly the most common of the dangerously venomous snakes in southern Asia. | Possibly the most common of the dangerously venomous snakes occurring in southern Asia |
| The former subspecies siamensis has been raised to a full species; this profile covers D. russelii only. | Wüster (1998) recognized only russelii and siamensis as subspecies. Daboia russelii siamensis (SMITH 1917) has been elevated to full species status. (note: 'this profile covers D. russelii only' is the site's scope statement, not a source claim) |

## AnAge entry for Daboia russelii. Human Ageing Genomic Resources, AnAge.

https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Daboia_russelii

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| AnAge lists an average adult weight of 1,306 grams, a little under 3 pounds. | Adult weight 1,306 g (note: 1,306 g = 2.88 lb) |
| The oldest one it records lived 15 years in captivity. | Maximum longevity 15 years (captivity) |
| AnAge lists 15 years as the maximum, set in captivity. It rates the sample behind that figure as small. | Maximum longevity 15 years (captivity) Source ref. 485 Sample size Small (note: FAQ) |
| weightKg: 1.3 | Adult weight 1,306 g (note: battleStats; Light class) |

## Senji Laxme et al. (2021). Biogeographic venom variation in Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) and the preclinical inefficacy of antivenom therapy in snakebite hotspots. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009247

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A South Asian viper whose venom varies across India, enough that one antivenom did poorly against snakes from the semi-arid north in mouse tests. | significant intraspecific variation in the composition, biochemical and pharmacological activities and potencies of D. russelii venoms ... low preclinical efficacy against the semi-arid population from northern India (note: tagline) |
| in nearly every biogeographic zone of India and at 2,000 m and above in the Himalaya | can be found in all biogeographical zones, with the exception of Trans-Himalayas, most of Northeast India and the Islands. The near-countrywide distribution across diverse habitats and presence even at elevations of 2,000 m and above in the Himalayan region (note: stats.habitat) |
| at 2,000 m and above in the Himalaya | presence even at elevations of 2,000 m and above in the Himalayan region (note: stats.habitat) |
| Venom that differs significantly between five Indian regions, in composition and potency | significant intraspecific variation in the composition, biochemical and pharmacological activities and potencies of D. russelii venoms sourced from five distinct biogeographic zones across India (note: stats.superpower) |
| Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) does not carry one fixed venom. | significant intraspecific variation in the composition, biochemical and pharmacological activities and potencies of D. russelii venoms |
| A 2021 study compared venom from five biogeographic zones of India, regions defined by climate and landscape. | five distinct biogeographic zones across India (note: 'defined by climate and landscape': paper says India's zones arise from 'highly variable climatic and topological conditions') |
| It found significant differences in the venom's makeup, chemistry and potency. | significant intraspecific variation in the composition, biochemical and pharmacological activities and potencies of D. russelii venoms |
| In mouse tests, one commercial Indian antivenom worked about equally well against four of the five populations, but poorly against the one from India's semi-arid north. | the Premium Serums antivenom exhibited surprisingly similar efficacy in countering the lethal effects of venom from four out of the five D . russelii populations in a mouse model of envenoming (note: mice: 'CD-1 male mice' in the methods; one antivenom (Premium Serums) went to in vivo tests; semi-arid north is the exception per the abstract) |
| but poorly against the one from India's semi-arid north | with the exception of low preclinical efficacy against the semi-arid population from northern India (note: blockquote, second half) |
| In India it turns up in nearly every biogeographic zone, apart from the Trans-Himalayas, most of the northeast and the islands, and it reaches 2,000 m or more in the Himalaya. | can be found in all biogeographical zones, with the exception of Trans-Himalayas, most of Northeast India and the Islands. The near-countrywide distribution across diverse habitats and presence even at elevations of 2,000 m and above in the Himalayan region |
| The 2021 study says it seems to be responsible for the majority of India's fatal envenomings and long-term injuries. | D. russelii seemingly being responsible for the majority of fatal envenomings and cases of long-term morbidity |
| No. Venom from five regions of India differed significantly in what it contains and how potent it is, and an antivenom tested in mice did poorly against the semi-arid north. | significant intraspecific variation in the composition, biochemical and pharmacological activities and potencies of D. russelii venoms sourced from five distinct biogeographic zones across India ... low preclinical efficacy against the semi-arid population from northern India (note: FAQ) |

## Tan et al. (2015). Functional venomics of the Sri Lankan Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) and its toxinological correlations. Journal of Proteomics.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2015.08.017

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A 2015 study took apart the venom of Sri Lankan snakes. | The venom proteome (venomics) of the Sri Lankan Daboia russelii was elucidated |
| Basic PLA2s make up about 35 percent of that venom's protein. | basic PLA2 in high abundance (35.0%) (note: Sri Lankan Russell's viper only; 35.0% is relative abundance in the proteome, not a share of the 41 protein types) |
| The researchers call these enzymes neurotoxic, meaning they attack nerves. | The venom content was dominated by the neurotoxic basic phospholipases A2 (note: Sri Lankan Russell's viper only; 'meaning they attack nerves' is a definition) |
| They say the mix fits the effects seen in Sri Lankan patients: bleeding, blood-clotting trouble, kidney failure, nerve and muscle damage, and red blood cells bursting. | it correlates with the clinical manifestations of Sri Lankan D. russelii envenomation which include hemorrhage, coagulopathy, renal failure, neuro-myotoxicity and intravascular hemolysis (note: Sri Lankan snakes) |

## Ariaratnam et al. (2009). Syndromic Approach to Treatment of Snake Bite in Sri Lanka Based on Results of a Prospective National Hospital-Based Survey of Patients Envenomed by Identified Snakes. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2009.09-0225

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A survey published in 2009 identified 860 snakes brought to ten Sri Lankan hospitals along with the patients they had bitten: Russell's vipers and hump-nosed pit vipers were the most numerous. | Of 860 snakes brought to 10 hospitals in Sri Lanka with the patients they had bitten, 762 (89%) were venomous. Russell's vipers (Daboia russelii) and hump-nosed pit vipers (Hypnale hypnale) were the most numerous |

## Khandakar & Jeny (2020). New distributional records of Russell’s Vipers, Daboia russelii (Shaw and Nodder 1797), in Bangladesh. Reptiles & Amphibians.

https://doi.org/10.17161/randa.v27i1.14465

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Rodents, crabs, frogs, lizards and birds | with a diet comprised of rodents, crabs, frogs, liz -
ards, and birds (note: stats.diet; the note cites Das 2002) |