{{Short description|Species of snake}} {{Speciesbox | image = Trimeresurus mayaae imported from iNaturalist photo 265006243 on 30 March 2024.jpg | image_caption = Male from [[Buxa Tiger Reserve]], [[West Bengal]], India | taxon = Trimeresurus mayaae | authority = Rathee, Purkayastha, Lalremsanga, Dalal, Biakzuala, Muansanga & Mirza, 2022 }}
'''''Trimeresurus mayaae''''' also commonly known as '''Maya's pit viper''' is a [[species]] of [[Venomous snake|venomous]] [[pit viper]] endemic to [[Northeast India|north-eastern]] [[India]].<ref name="inaturalist-Trimeresurus mayaae">{{cite web |title=Trimeresurus mayaae |url=https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1403060-Trimeresurus-mayaae |website=iNaturalist |access-date=2024-03-29 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Rathee-2022">{{Cite journal |date=2022-05-20 |title=A new cryptic species of green pit viper of the genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804 (Serpentes, Viperidae) from northeast India |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=17 |issue=5 |article-number=e0268402 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0268402 |issn=1932-6203 |doi-access=free|pmc=9122190 |last1=Rathee |first1=Yashpal Singh |last2=Purkayastha |first2=Jayaditya |last3=Lalremsanga |first3=Hmar Tlawmte |last4=Dalal |first4=Siddharth |last5=Biakzuala |first5=Lal |last6=Muansanga |first6=Lal |last7=Mirza |first7=Zeeshan A. |pmid=35594256 |bibcode=2022PLoSO..1768402R }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Karmakar |first=Rahul |date=2022-05-21 |title=New species of venomous snake registered from Northeast |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/new-species-of-venomous-snake-registered-from-northeast/article65442320.ece |access-date=2024-03-30 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref name="Meghalayan-2022">{{Cite web |last=Bureau |first=The Meghalayan |date=2022-05-21 |title=New pit viper species found in Meghalaya; named after Army officer's mother |url=https://themeghalayan.com/new-pit-viper-species-found-in-meghalaya-named-after-army-officers-mother/ |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=The Meghalayan |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Description== Males have a deep green dorsum, and fluorescent green ventrum with black interstitial skin. The head is dark green with cyan borders on scales, eyes are rust colored and red-white stripes on the body. Female individuals are similar but with yellowish-green ventrum and green eyes. Both sexes exhibit rusty red tails.<ref name="Rathee-2022" />
[[File:Trimeresurus mayaae.png|thumb|left|Male from [[Mizoram]], India.]]
==Range== ''Trimeresurus mayaae'' occurs throughout the [[Shillong Plateau]] and the adjoining [[Jaintia Hills|Jaintia hills]], [[Barail Range|Barail]] and [[Mizo Hills|Mizo hills]].<ref name="Rathee-2022" /> It has also been found in [[Manipur]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Elangbam |first1=Premjit Singh |last2=Biakzuala |first2=Lal |last3=Shinde |first3=Parag |last4=Decemson |first4=Ht |last5=Vabeiryureilai |first5=Mathipi |last6=Lalremsanga |first6=Hmar Tlawmte |date=2023-06-26 |title=Addition of four new records of pit vipers (Squamata: Crotalinae) to Manipur, India |url=https://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/8486 |journal=Journal of Threatened Taxa |language=en |volume=15 |issue=6 |pages=23315–23326 |doi=10.11609/jott.8486.15.6.23315-23326 |issn=0974-7907|doi-access=free }}</ref>
==Habitat and ecology== Specimens were found during early hours of night in a forested patch next to a stream within Military Cantonment area. An individual was spotted on the ground, crossing a track. In captivity, the specimens fed on the ''[[Rhacophorus bipunctatus]]'', ''[[Leptobrachium]]'' sp. and [[Minervarya]] sp.
All known records of the species are from elevations greater tha 900m and hence, the low land areas may potentially act as a biogeographic barrier for the new species. The distributed areas are isolated from other members of ''Viridovipera'' (Subgenus of ''Trimeresurus''), by low elevation human dominated landscape, The [[Brahmaputra River]] to its north and the [[Indo-Burma|Indo-Burma hills]] along the international borders of the two countries (India and [[Myanmar]]).<ref name="Rathee-2022" />
==Etymology== The specific epithet ''mayaae'' is derived from the name of one of the species discoverer's late mother, Maya Singh Rathee.<ref name="Rathee-2022" /><ref name="Meghalayan-2022" />
==Taxonomy== ''Trimeresurus mayaae'' is likely a member of the [[subgenus]] ''Viridovipera'' as suggested by molecular data. Molecular data also suggests that the species is sister to ''[[Trimeresurus medoensis|T. medoensis]]''.<ref name="Rathee-2022" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q114157458}}
[[Category:Trimeresurus|mayaae]] [[Category:Endemic reptiles of India]] [[Category:Reptiles described in 2022]]