New Viper species Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

A team of herpetologists (specialized in study of reptiles and amphibians) have discovered a more advanced new species of reddish-brown pit viper from Arunachal Pradesh. Their discovery was published in Russian Journal of Herpetology.

About the Viper

• Scientific Name (of discovered Arunachal pit viper): Trimeresurus arunachalensis. This discovery of new species makes Arunachal Pradesh only Indian state to have a pit viper named after it.
• Discovery: The research team from Pune-based Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, found the snake species while conducting biodiversity surveys in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, in in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Significance: The viper discovered is never described before therefore this single known specimen of this species makes it currently the rarest pit viper in the world.
• Type: It is a species of reddish-brown pit viper, a venomous snake.
• It has a unique heat-sensing system.

Earlier Discoveries

• With this, India is now home to fifth brown pit viper. The other four brown pit vipers are Hump-Nosed, Horseshoe, Malabar, and Himalayan who were discovered about 70 years ago.
• This new discovery makes Arunachal pit viper the second serpent to have been discovered in state after Crying Keelback, a non-venomous snake was found in Arunacal’s Lepa-Rada district in 2018.

NOTE

The Vipers (or Viperidae) are a family of venomous snakes found in most parts of world. All such species have relatively long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of snake venom.