A genus of highly venomous vipers found in Africa and the Middle East, commonly known as bush vipers or spitting cobras, characterized by keeled scales and heat-sensing pits.
From Greek atheris, possibly from a- + therein (to heat), referring to the thermal-sensing abilities of these snakes, though etymology is uncertain.
Atheris vipers are among the most dangerous snakes in Africa, but their name might reference something most people find even cooler—their ability to sense heat through specialized pits, making them infrared-seeing assassins.
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