Main image via Zoosystematics and Evolution + Harry Potter Wiki
Potterheads, gather round because we’ve got some fun news to slither into your day!
If you’re scared of snakes, you might want to grab your broomsticks and fly away from reading this, cause we don’t want to hear what your father will say about this!
via GIPHY
Scientists have recently discovered a new snake species that resides in the forests of northeast India, and they’ve named it after one of the founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin.
The gorgeous green snake is now officially known as Trimeresrus Salazar or Salazar’s pit viper.
Image via Zoosystematics and Evolution
According to reports, the scientists who discovered the new serpent are huge Harry Potter fans, and as Potterheads well know, Salazar Slytherin’s house is one of the four houses at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
For the muggles, Slytherin is best known for its green and silver house colours, with a snake on their emblem. Salazar is also well known for his ability to speak Parselmouth aka speaking to snakes, and his love for the serpent. It’s only apt that this new species was named as such.
“The specific epithet is a noun in apposition for J.K. Rowling’s fictional Hogwarts School of Withcraft and Wizardry’s co-founder, Salazar Slytherin,” the researchers, led by the National Centre for Biological Science of Banglore, India; wrote.
Image via Zoosystematics and Evolution
Salazar’s pit viper was found from a survey in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh and is the second newly discovered pit viper. The forest is a biodiversity hotspot that’s located at the foot of the eastern Himalayas, and is under dire threat from human activity.
As pit vipers can look very similar to each other, its species diversity can be overlooked.
Salazar’s pit viper is one of around 50 in its genus of venomous snakes that are named for the heat-sensing pits in their head that they use to navigate and hunt. Many of these pit vipers have similar physical characteristics and similar shades of vivid green.
According to the researchers, T. salazar is most similar to three other species, the T. septentrionalis, T. insularis, and T. albolabris. Salazar’s pit viper however has a few key differences, including the number of teeth and the shape of the hemipenis. The males of this species also have a vivid orange stripe on its head.
Upon further analysis of the snakes’ genomic DNA, researcher were able to confirm that Salazar’s pit viper is indeed a distinct species.
Image via Zoosystematics and Evolution
Through this unique naming, the researchers also hope that the attention will help generate exposure to the Arunachal Pradesh forests that they believe needs as much positive attention as possible.
“Future dedicated surveys conducted across northeastern India will help document biodiversity, which is under threat from numerous development activities that include road widening, agriculture, and hydro-electric projects,” the researchers wrote.
Image via Encyclopedia Brittanica
Well Slytherins, here’s something else to be proud of (though we’re not sure you need more), a muggle-world serpent of your own! And this is one snake you won’t need to hide in the Chamber of Secrets…
via GIPHY
Info via Science Alert