Spotted Night Adder

C. maculatus is small and stout, with an average total length (tail included) of 30–60 cm (12–24 in). It grows to a maximum total length of about 70 cm (28 in), or perhaps slightly longer. The snout is obtuse with a rounded rostral scale. A single loreal is present. The circumorbital ring consists of 2–3 preoculars, 1–2 postoculars and 1–2 suboculars. There are 6 supralabials and 9–10 sublabials. Four sublabials are in contact with the sublinguals. There are 2–3 temporal scales. At midbody there are 17–19 rows of dorsal scales. The ventral scales number 118–137 in females and 124–144 in males. The subcaudal scales number 14–23 in females and 15–26 in males. Within the geographic range of this species, the ventral scale counts increase from south to north and from east to west. This diagnostic information is apparently according to Hughes (1977). Spawls and Branch (1995) give a slightly different description of the body scalation: at midbody there are 17–22 rows of dorsal scales, which have been described as soft and feebly keeled. …

C. maculatus is found from Mauritania and Senegal east to western Ethiopia, south to DR Congo and northern Angola. The type locality is listed as "Liberia, Western Africa." Mallow et al. (2003) mostly quote Spawls and Branch (1995), giving the geographic range as West Africa and Central Africa, from Senegal east to Chad, southeast to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and northeast into southeastern Sudan. It is also found in the river gorges and low country of southwestern Ethiopia, southwest to northern Angola and DR Congo.

C. maculatus is terrestrial, but is known to climb into low bushes in pursuit of frogs. It is a relatively slow moving species of snake, but it can strike quickly, tending to lash rather than to stab. Despite its common names including the term "night adder", this species is known to be active at any time of the day, evening or night, and has sometimes been seen sunning itself. It is most active during the rainy season (March–October) when its prey is available, virtually disappearing during the dry season.