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Definition of formosan pit viper

formosan pit viper

Plural:formosan pit vipers
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formosan pit viper Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A venomous snake belonging to the pit viper subfamily that is endemic to the island of Taiwan (formerly Formosa), characterized by its heat-sensing facial pits used to locate warm-blooded prey in forested and mountainous regions.

Example

"While conducting a night survey of native reptiles in the Taiwanese mountains, the herpetologist carefully documented a Formosan pit viper coiled on a low branch."

• Nearby Words

forktail
form
format
formosan pit viper
foroglio
forsythia
fort

Word Origin & Etymology

Named from 'Formosa' (the historical Portuguese name for Taiwan, meaning 'beautiful') and 'pit viper', referring to the heat-sensing loreal pits located between the eye and the nostril of these venomous snakes.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Formosan pit viper. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/formosan pit viper
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