Cerastes

Cerastes
A Desert Horned Viper, Cerastes cerastes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Subfamily:	Viperinae
Genus:	Cerastes

Cerastes is a genus of small venomous vipers growing up to the length of around 50 cm. There are currently three species found. They are usually known as the "Horned Vipers", the "North African Desert Vipers", or the "Cerastes Vipers".

The Horned Viper is nocturnal and terrestrial (lives on the ground), and is usually found buried underneath the sand. They are said to be slow moving, but they are able to do sidewinding. When they do sidewinding they can move faster across the sand. They are able to sink into the sand by moving in a rocking motion. They sink into the sand tail first and keep on sinking deeper into the sand until only their eyes and nose are sticking out of the sand. The reason they do this is so they can ambush prey which come close to it. They are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs. They live in the deserts of North Africa, Arabia, and Iran.

The Horned Viper catch their prey by ambushing. They eat mainly rodents, birds and lizards.

• Desert Horned Viper, C. Cerastes
• Arabian Horned Viper, C. Gasperettii
• Sahara Sand Viper, C. Vipera