Bushmaster is the name for three large venomous snakes with brown or black, diamond-shaped blotches down the back. The most widespread kind, the South American bushmaster, lives in Central America, tropical parts of South America, and Trinidad. The other two kinds live only in Central America. Bushmasters may grow as long as 11 feet (3.4 meters). Like all other pit vipers, bushmasters have a deep pit between the eye and nostril. The lining of the pit is sensitive to heat and helps the snakes find warm-blooded prey. A bushmaster has rough skin that is mostly yellow or pale brown. The fangs may grow 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) long. Bushmasters produce young by laying eggs. The eggs may be laid in the nest or burrow of a small animal.
