A new species of green viper was named “Salazar’s Viper” (Trimeresurus salazar) in honor of Salazar Slytherin, a character from the fictional world of Harry Potter.
The reptile was discovered during an expedition to Arunachal Pradesh, one of the states of India, points to a study led by the National Center for Biological Sciences in Bangalore (NCBS).
Green snakes of the genus Trimeresurus are charismatic snakes that are found in East and Southeast Asia. The body of the newly discovered animal is green. Males have an orange and red stripe on their heads and bodies, according to research published in the journal “Zoosystematics and Evolution”.
This is the second species discovered on the expedition to Arunachal Pradesh, one of the most biodiverse places in the Himalaya region.
Zeeshan Mirza, lead author of the study, explained that this discovery reflects the limited documentation that exists on wildlife in Northwest India.
“Future studies in northwest India will help document biodiversity, which is threatened by numerous development activities, including road expansion, agriculture and hydroelectric projects,” it said in a statement.
In the universe created by J.K. Rowling, Slytherin was one of the founding magicians of the Hogwarts College of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Also, he could talk to snakes.
