For decades, a snake that slithers through the humid forests of the Giant Panda National Park in the West China Rain Zone has been misidentified.
It was presumed that the lime-green serpent was a bamboo pit viper (Trimeresurus stejnegeri), a reptile widespread across southern China, the Indian sub-continent and Taiwan. However, researchers from the Chengdu Institute of Biology and the Giant Panda National Park have now confirmed, through DNA testing, that this small, venomous snake is actually a new species, now named the Huaxi green pit viper (Trimeresurus lii).
The montane forests found to the west of Chengdu, capital city of the Sichuan Province, are rich in biodiversity and the stronghold of the giant panda. Much of the landscape is under-explored and the ecology little studied, hence the misidentification of the Huaxi green pit viper.
The research team, who published their findings in the open-access journal Zoosystematics and Evolution, noted, “This discovery highlights the importance of continued field surveys in biodiversity hotspots.”
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Growing to a length of around 80cm, the Huaxi green pit viper is similar in appearance to the more familiar bamboo pit viper, although the green body lacks any form of bands or markings and the scales around the head are perfectly smooth.
The new species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with the males having amber-coloured eyes and a red and white stripe, whereas females have a yellow stripe and paler eyes. Both sexes are capable of envenoming humans through snakebite, with the hemotoxin delivered by relatively large fangs that cause severe pain and potential tissue damage.
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Also known as Asian lanceheads, snakes within the Trimeresurus genus typically prey on amphibians, small mammals, birds and other reptiles. Their camouflage and small size make them difficult to spot in the arboreal habitat, and bites to people are not uncommon. As the Huaxi green pit viper may be found close to human settlements, they do pose a risk.
However, the research team hope that harmony within such a rich environment will endure, a sentiment reflected in the choice of name.
"The specific name lii honours Li Er, the ancient Chinese philosopher better known as Laozi," explained Bo Cai, leader of the research team, who wished to recognise the cultural and spiritual roots of the region.
"His teachings emphasise the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature," Bo Cai continues, "a principle that perfectly aligns with the conservation mission of the Giant Panda National Park where the species was discovered."
Top image credit: Bo Cai
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