[4] The Wagler's pit viper is sexually dimorphic: the females grow to approximately 1 m (39+1⁄4 in) in total length (including tail), their bodies being black with yellow stripes.

[8] In a revision by Vogel et al (2007), the Wagler's pit viper species complex was differentiated into several taxa, including the resurrection of T. subannulatus.

[1] Nocturnal and arboreal, the Wagler's pit viper appears quite sluggish, as it remains motionless for long periods of time waiting for prey to pass by.

[12][13] An initial study indicated that micromolar concentrations of Waglerin 1 act both pre- and postsynaptically to inhibit transmission across rat neuromuscular junctions.

In striking contrast, transmission across neuromuscular junctions of neonatal or transgenic mice lacking the adult acetylcholine receptor was not altered by micromolar concentrations of Waglerin-1.

While Waglerin-1 interacts with other members of the ligand-gated superfamily of ion channels, the potency is much less than for inhibition of the adult mouse muscle acetylcholine receptor.

[24] There is no scientific evidence supporting the manufacturers' suggestion that the Waglerin-1 included in their products relaxes wrinkle producing skeletal muscles.

However, its distinctly different morphology and venom characteristics set it apart, so that eventually a new genus was erected in which it was placed together with Hutton's viper, Tropidolaemus huttoni.