biology

Metlapilcoatlus nummifer

Metlapilcoatlus nummifer is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Metlapilcoatlus nummifer rather than just read about it. In short: Metlapilcoatlus nummifer, commonly known as Mexican jumping pit viper or jumping viper, is a pit viper species endemic to Mexico. Description Adults are short and exceedingly stout, commonly growing to 18–24 inches (46–61 centimetres) in total length.

Key takeaways

Metlapilcoatlus nummifer belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Metlapilcoatlus nummifer to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Metlapilcoatlus nummifer from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Metlapilcoatlus nummifer, commonly known as Mexican jumping pit viper or jumping viper, is a pit viper species endemic to Mexico.

Description Adults are short and exceedingly stout, commonly growing to 18–24 inches (46–61 centimetres) in total length. The snout is rounded with a sharp canthus. At midbody there are 23–27 rows of dorsal scales that are strongly keeled, tubercular in large specimens. The ventral scales are 121–135, while the subcaudals are 26–36 and mostly single. The eye is separated from the labial scales by 3–4 rows of small scales. The color pattern consists of a tan, light brown or gray ground color that is overlaid with a series of around 20 dark brown or black rhomboid blotches. The lower tips of these blotches often connect with spots on the flanks to form narrow crossbands. The top of the head is dark with oblique postorbital stripes, below which the side of the head is a lighter color. The belly is whitish, occasionally with dark brown blotches. These snakes have sometimes been mistaken for young bushmasters (Lachesis muta), but can easily be identified by their lack of a specialized tail tip.

Geographic range Found in eastern Mexico from San Luis Potosí southeastward on the Atlantic versant and lowlands. Found in various types of forest, including cloud forest and rain forest at 40–1,600 m (130–5,250 ft) altitude. The type originally lacked locality information, but apparently "Mexico" was filled in some time later. A restriction to Teapa, Tabasco, Mexico, was proposed by Burger (1950). Metlapilcoatlus mexicanus and Metlapilcoatlus occiduus were both formerly considered subspecies.

Conservation status This species was classified as Least Concern (LC) when last assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in March of 2007, though this assessment is annotated as "needs updating" by the organization. The species is currently classified as threatened by the government of Mexico.

References

Further reading Rüppell, Eduard (1845). "Verzeichnis der in dem Museum der Senckenbergischen naturforschenden Gesellschaft aufgestellten Sammlungen. Dritte Abteilung: Amphibien". Mus. Senckenbergianum. 3 (3): 293–316. (Atropos nummifer)

External links

Metlapilcoatlus nummifer at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 14 September 2007.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Metlapilcoatlus nummifer

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Metlapilcoatlus nummifer claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Metlapilcoatlus nummifer before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Metlapilcoatlus nummifer ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Metlapilcoatlus nummifer

In research: Metlapilcoatlus nummifer appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Metlapilcoatlus nummifer in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Metlapilcoatlus nummifer is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Endemic reptiles of Mexico, Fauna of the Sierra Madre Oriental, Fauna of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Metlapilcoatlus nummifer outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Metlapilcoatlus nummifer in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Metlapilcoatlus nummifer means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Metlapilcoatlus nummifer out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Metlapilcoatlus nummifer in simple terms?

Metlapilcoatlus nummifer, commonly known as Mexican jumping pit viper or jumping viper, is a pit viper species endemic to Mexico. Description Adults are short and exceedingly stout, commonly growing to 18–24 inches (46–61 centimetres) in total length.

Why does Metlapilcoatlus nummifer matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Metlapilcoatlus nummifer?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Metlapilcoatlus nummifer.