FIRST REPORT OF THANATOSIS IN Bothrops asper (GARMAN, 1883) (SERPENTES: VIPERIDAE) IN PANAMA

Thanatosis is a defensive behavior in animals that simulates death to avoid attacks from predators. In snakes, it has been documented in several families, including pythonids, colubrids, elapids and viperids, although in America there are only a few records in viperids. We observed thanatosis in a Bothrops asper during its rescue and relocation, the snake showed tonic immobility and other behaviors, pretending to be dead. This is the first documented case for the species.