as in water snake
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Recent Examples of puff adder
The top left is a Gaboon viper, not a puff adder.
—
Brian Otieno, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
The one in particular that gave them trouble was the puff adder, which—like southern Pacific rattlesnakes—is an ambush predator.
—Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 30 Apr. 2018
This kind of behavioral segmentation had never been observed before, which the researchers say is odd given how common the puff adder is throughout Africa and is frequently kept in captivity.
—Troy Farah, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2019
But only one snake uses both its tail and its tongue to lure prey: the African puff adder.
—Troy Farah, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2019
The 22-year-old, who owned a venomous puff adder, was treated with anti-venom in Connolly Hospital, the Irish Post reported last month.
—Fox News, 7 Mar. 2020
This was apparently the case with the man who was bitten in late February by a puff adder, a venomous snake native to semiarid regions (i.e., not Ireland).
—Gillian Brockell, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Mar. 2020
The researchers captured puff adder shy sharks in a harbor in Cape Town, South Africa, and transported them to a government research aquarium, where the fish acclimated for four months.
—Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 19 Dec. 2019
Take the South African puff adder Bitis arietans, which mimics an insect's movements by wagging its tongue slowly and deliberately to attract nearby amphibians.
—National Geographic, 16 Feb. 2017
Brian Otieno, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
The one in particular that gave them trouble was the puff adder, which—like southern Pacific rattlesnakes—is an ambush predator.
—Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 30 Apr. 2018
This kind of behavioral segmentation had never been observed before, which the researchers say is odd given how common the puff adder is throughout Africa and is frequently kept in captivity.
—Troy Farah, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2019
But only one snake uses both its tail and its tongue to lure prey: the African puff adder.
—Troy Farah, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2019
The 22-year-old, who owned a venomous puff adder, was treated with anti-venom in Connolly Hospital, the Irish Post reported last month.
—Fox News, 7 Mar. 2020
This was apparently the case with the man who was bitten in late February by a puff adder, a venomous snake native to semiarid regions (i.e., not Ireland).
—Gillian Brockell, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Mar. 2020
The researchers captured puff adder shy sharks in a harbor in Cape Town, South Africa, and transported them to a government research aquarium, where the fish acclimated for four months.
—Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 19 Dec. 2019
Take the South African puff adder Bitis arietans, which mimics an insect's movements by wagging its tongue slowly and deliberately to attract nearby amphibians.
—National Geographic, 16 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puff adder
Noun
-
On a water snake, there’s no mask, just little vertical stripes below the eye.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2024
-
For one thing, rattlesnakes have different fat profiles than Chinese water snakes.—
Jordan Friedman,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Gray foxes are said to reside here along with reptiles like the smooth green snake and eastern milk snake, as well as numerous birds, including the Virginian rail, Henslow’s sparrow, bobolink and eastern meadowlark.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2025
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Gray foxes are said to reside here along with reptiles like the smooth green snake and eastern milk snake, as well as numerous birds, including the Virginian rail, Henslow’s sparrow, bobolink and eastern meadowlark.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Virginia and Massachusetts have recognized other garter snake species as official state reptiles.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Every male in the crowd competes to align their tails with the lone female red-sided garter snake for a chance at copulation.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In Hawaii, a gopher snake could threaten the food chain because the species has no natural predators in the state.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
21 Nov. 2024
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In Hawaii, a gopher snake could threaten the food chain because the species has no natural predators in the state.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
21 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
According to wildlife specialist Kayla Jobe, who spoke with KOKI, bull snakes are not venomous and can be helpful to have near (but not in) your home since the reptile eats small rodents.—
Tabitha Parent,
People.com,
17 Dec. 2024
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The backyard was home to a population of wildlife, such as bull snakes, racoons and skunks.—
Dana Oland,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Jan. 2024
Noun
-
All sorts of animals that would horrify the average homeowner — like a four-foot-long venomous coral snake — were now his neighbors, which led to deeper reflections.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American-Statesman,
11 Nov. 2024
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This family of about 400 species includes coral snakes, cobras, and mambas and is considered medically important since their bites can destroy tissue, cause the heart to collapse, induce blindness, and more.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
19 Sep. 2024
Noun
-
Gray foxes are said to reside here along with reptiles like the smooth green snake and eastern milk snake, as well as numerous birds, including the Virginian rail, Henslow’s sparrow, bobolink and eastern meadowlark.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Gray foxes are said to reside here along with reptiles like the smooth green snake and eastern milk snake, as well as numerous birds, including the Virginian rail, Henslow’s sparrow, bobolink and eastern meadowlark.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Though rat snakes pose no direct threat to humans, their presence inside a home is still enough to send a chill down any resident's spine.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
10 Mar. 2025
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In December, a Texas woman was bitten by a non-venomous rat snake shortly after sitting on the toilet during a nighttime visit to her bathroom.—
Kelli Bender,
People.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puff adder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puff%20adder. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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