Atractaspis aterrima

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Atractaspis aterrima, the slender burrowing asp or mole viper, is a venomous snake that spends most of its life underground. The name aterrima means "the blackest."

Where it lives
- It is found across large parts of West, Central, and East Africa, from Senegal to Tanzania and Uganda.
- Its presence in Gabon, Rwanda, and Burundi is uncertain.

What it looks like
- Adults are usually black or very dark, sometimes with a glossy bluish tinge. Juveniles are typically brown.
- They can reach about 65–80 cm in length, with the largest males around 81 cm and females up to 71 cm.

Habitat and behavior
- A. aterrima lives in coastal grasslands, dry and moist savannas, and forests.
- It is fossorial, meaning it spends a lot of time burrowing and living underground.

What it eats
- Its diet includes elongated underground animals such as caecilians and various lizards; it can also eat snakes, amphisbaenians, and geckos.