Fer-de-Lance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the 1934 novel by Rex Stout, see Fer-de-Lance (book).
- Fer-de-Lance is also the name of a 1974 movie starring David Janssen.
Fer-de-Lance, French for spearhead (literally "iron of the lance"), can refer to any of several pit vipers of the genus Bothrops:
- Bothrops lanceolatus, the Martinique lancehead. (Some apply "fer-de-lance" to this species only.)
- B. caribbaeus, the Saint Lucia lancehead
- B. atrox, the common lancehead, native to tropical South America east of the Andes and to Trinidad
- B. asper, the terciopelo or Central American lancehead, native to Central and northwestern South America.
Lacépède originally applied the name to all of these snakes, which he considered conspecific. Thus older writings, as well as popular and sometimes scientific writings (including the American Heritage, Merriam-Webster, and New Shorter Oxford dictionaries), still often call them "fer-de-lance." However, many scientists and hobbyists now restrict this name to the Martinican species and use the common names given here for the others.[1]
Arguably, fer de lance is a Créole name; these snakes are called trigonocéphale in standard French.[2]
[edit] Cited references
- ^ Wolfgang Wüster (2005-03-30). "RE: Wikipedia articles on Bothrops". Crotalidae Forum (Kingsnake.com). Retrieved on 2006-10-05.
- ^ "Fer de lance" is not listed as meaning a snake at Le Trésor de la Langue Française informatisé. Accessed 2006-10-05.
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