The Godman's Pit Viper

The colors of last years fallen leaves, the little Godman's Pit Viper well camouflaged on the forest floor. The little Godman's Pit Viper, Cerrophidion godmani, was once readily available and rather inexpensive. Today it seems another of the species that has largely disappeared from the trade. It ranges through the southeastern Mexican mountains to the highlands of Guatemala. Those south of Guatemala are now known as C. sasai. This latter also being a highland species. In appearance this little pit viper varies in color between the browns of newly fallen leaves to that of darker colored, older, wet leaves. Black outlined darker dorsal blotches (these may actually form a broad zigzag stripe dorsally) and lateral spots are present. There is a diagonal white stripe from the eye to the angle of the mouth. Below the stripe the facial scales, including the upper labials are often a variable russet in color. Adult size is usually 18 to 24 inches, but some examples have been 30+ inches. Although of subdued colors, I’m glad that I had opportunity to photograph a snake that might now be only a memory in American herpetoculture.

Eye, pit, and nostril are all well defined in this closeup.

This is a light phase Godman's Pit Viper. These are now a rarity in herpetoculture.