Protobothrops

Protobothrops is a genus of pit vipers found in Asia. It is also known as the lance headed pit vipers.

The venom of Protobothrops can be diverse and unique across individual organisms of the same and differing species and has demonstrated the ability to evolve in an accelerated manner. One possible explanation for these traits is that the habitat in which Protobothrops reside contains a large variety of prey which may have prompted the diversification of the venom related genes.