Bushmaster, a large poisonous snake found in the tropical parts of Central and South America. It belongs to the group known as pit vipers. These snakes have heat-sensitive pits on their faces that detect the body heat of nearby animals.
Bushmasters are rather thick-bodied snakes that may grow to a length of 12 feet (3.7 m). The fangs are very long—sometimes more than one inch (2.5 cm)—and inject poison deep into the body of a victim. The snake's body is tan or pinkish, patterned with a row of dark-banded markings on the back. Unlike other pit vipers, bushmasters reproduce by means of eggs.
The bushmaster is Lachesis mutus of the pit viper family, Crotalidae.