{{Short description|Species of snake}} {{Speciesbox | image = Trimeresurus salazar (10.3897-zse.96.48431) Figure 7.jpg | taxon = Trimeresurus salazar | display_parents = 3 | authority = Mirza et al., 2020 }}
'''''Trimeresurus salazar''''', also known as '''Salazar's pit viper''', is a species of venomous, green [[pit viper]] first discovered in 2019 in the lowlands of the western part of [[Arunachal Pradesh]], India; the fifth new reptile species to be discovered in the region in 2019. It was named after [[Salazar Slytherin]] from the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' series. It has a dark green head and yellowish green dorsal scales on the rest of its body. The species is [[sexually dichromatic]]; the males have reddish-orange and yellow-orange stripes and a rusty red-orange tail that the females lack. Its habitat is under threat from human development activities.
== Taxonomy and etymology == This snake was first discovered during a [[herpetological]] expedition in the summer of 2019 to the Eastern Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh, India, which is a [[biodiversity hotspot]] and has a high degree of landscape heterogeneity with elevation ranging from 100 to 7000 m and distinct climatic regimes.{{Sfn|Kimbrough|2020}}{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=124}} The expedition collected two specimens of a green pit viper of the [[genus]] ''Trimeresurus'' in the lowlands near [[Pakke Tiger Reserve]], which were believed to be either ''[[Trimeresurus septentrionalis]]'' or ''[[Trimeresurus albolabris]]'' based upon their coloration and the number of [[dorsal scale]] rows. These specimens were later compared with eleven specimens of ''T. septentrionalis'' and ''T. albolabris'' from the collections of the [[Bombay Natural History Society]], the [[Natural History Museum, London]], [[National Museum of Natural History in Paris]] and the [[University of Copenhagen]],{{Sfn|Kimbrough|2020}} and differences were found in the coloration of the lateral stripe on the head and the body in males.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|pp=123–124}} Molecular analysis of the [[genomic DNA]] confirmed that the specimens were a new species of green pit viper.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|pp=124–125}} It became the fifth new reptile species to be discovered in Arunachal Pradesh in 2019.{{Sfn|Karmakar|2020}} The researchers also found two specimens of the new species in the [[Natural History Museum of Denmark]] which had been collected by a Danish [[naturalist]], [[Bernt Wilhelm Westermann]], between 1811 and 1816{{Sfn|Rathee|Purkayastha|Dalal|Lalremsanga|2021|p=131}} but were wrongly labeled as white-lipped pit vipers.{{Sfn|George|2020}}
This new species of green pit viper, ''Trimeresurus salazar'', was named after [[Salazar Slytherin]] from the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' series,{{Sfn|Asmelash|2020}} with a suggested common name of ''Salazar's pit viper''.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=125}} In the fictional book and movie series, Slytherin is famous for being a Parselmouth, a person who can communicate with snakes.{{Sfn|BBC|2020}} As such, the [[Slytherin|house]] he founded in Hogwarts is represented by a snake, and is also associated with the color green.{{Sfn|Kimbrough|2020}}
== Description == Salazar's pit viper has a long and thin body with a [[Snout–vent length|length]] reaching 363 to 415 mm,{{Sfn|Chandramouli|Campbell|Vogel|2020|p=174}} and a triangular, elongated head which is clearly distinct from the neck.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=126}} These vipers are green but also have yellow, orange, red, or gold markings.{{Sfn|de Lazaro|2020}} Males have a reddish orange stripe running from their [[preocular scales]] to the lateral side of the nape, a yellow-orange ventrolateral stripe and a short, bilobed [[hemipenis]].{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=125}} The head is dark green in color which fades to a yellowish green color on its dorsal scales, except for the first dorsal scale row which is yellowish white with a faint orange patch. The tail has rusty red dorsal scales and orange ventral scales. Juveniles are brightly colored with the males having a much more prominent lateral stripe on the head.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=127}} Females lack both reddish orange head stripe and the yellow-orange ventrolateral stripe.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=130}} The appearance of ''T. salazar'' is different to the ''T. albolabris'', ''T. septentrionalis'', and the ''T. insularis'' because of the greater number of pterygoid and dentary teeth, the reddish-orange head stripe in the males and the smaller size of its hemipenis.{{Sfn|Starr|2020}} It has 6 palatine, 15 pterygoid and 19 dentary teeth.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=126}}
The species has 19 to 21 rows of moderately keeled dorsal scales at mid-body, 163 to 171 ventral scales, 59 to 74 subcaudal scales, 12 to 13 infralabial scales and 10 to 11 supralabial scales with the first supralabial scale being fused with the nasal scale.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=126}}{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=130}}
== Distribution and habitat == <mapframe text="Findings of ''T. salazar'' and ''T. cf. salazar'' as of 2022: Mirza et al. (light green), Rathee et al. (green), Koirala et al. (gray)" latitude="27.1" longitude="93" zoom="5" width="300" height="250" align="right"> { "type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [ { "type": "Feature", "properties": {"marker-size": "small", "marker-symbol": "-number", "marker-color": "46ea5f"}, "geometry": {"type": "Point", "coordinates": [93.013984, 26.968790]} }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": {"marker-size": "small", "marker-symbol": "-number", "marker-color": "228b22"}, "geometry": {"type": "Point","coordinates": [91.868303, 26.163103]} }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": {"marker-size": "small", "marker-symbol": "-number", "marker-color": "228b22"}, "geometry": {"type": "Point","coordinates": [91.829878, 26.122775]} }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": {"marker-size": "small", "marker-symbol": "-number", "marker-color": "228b22"}, "geometry": {"type": "Point","coordinates": [94.754558, 27.130672]} }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": {"marker-size": "small", "marker-symbol": "-number", "marker-color": "228b22"}, "geometry": {"type": "Point","coordinates": [95.178831, 27.378058]} }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": {"marker-size": "small", "marker-symbol": "-number", "marker-color": "228b22"}, "geometry": {"type": "Point","coordinates": [91.944714, 25.681933]} }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": {"marker-size": "small", "marker-symbol": "-number"}, "geometry": {"type": "Point","coordinates": [91.496, 27.138]} } ] } </mapframe> Salazar's pit vipers have been found at an elevation of 172 metres above sea level in the [[Eastern Himalayas]],{{Sfn|Baheerathan|2020}} in the lowlands of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in India.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=123}}{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=131}} They are also confirmed to be present in [[Meghalaya]],{{Sfn|Rathee|Purkayastha|Dalal|Lalremsanga|2021|pp=131-132}} [[Mizoram]], the slopes of [[Darjeeling]] in West Bengal,{{Sfn|Vogel|Mallik|Chandramouli|Sharma|2022|p=349}} also has been recorded from Tripura [[Tripura]] {{Sfn|Choudhury|Deb|Purkayastha|2024}} and they are also likely to occur in [[Bangladesh]].{{Sfn|Rathee|Purkayastha|Dalal|Lalremsanga|2021|p=136}} The species was later documented near Lumang in the Tashigang Territorial Forest Division in eastern Bhutan{{Sfn|Koirala|Jamtsho|Wangdi|Tshering|2021|p=17464}} and in [[Jashpur district]], Chhattisgarh.{{Sfn|Vogel|Mallik|Chandramouli|Sharma|2022|p=349}} They are nocturnal snakes{{Sfn|Kimbrough|2020}} and have been observed coiled on shrubs at night.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|p=130}}
Their diversity could be underestimated as the species belonging to the ''Trimeresurus'' genus are [[Morphology (biology)|morphologically]] cryptic, which makes them difficult to identify in the field, requiring evidence based upon morphological, ecological and molecular data.{{Sfn|Mirza|Bhosale|Phansalkar|Sawant|2020|pp=123–124}} Their habitat in Arunachal Pradesh is under threat from development activities such as road widening, agriculture and [[hydroelectric]] projects,{{Sfn|Baheerathan|2020}} especially the proposed 49 km long [[Pakke-Kessang district#Seijosa|Seijosa]]-[[Bhalukpong]] road which cuts right through their habitat,{{Sfn|Goswami|2020}} and the proposed [[Dibang Dam]].{{Sfn|George|2020}}
== Diet == The diet of pit vipers in the genus ''Trimeresurus'' includes lizards, amphibians, birds, rodents, and other small mammals.{{Sfn|de Lazaro|2020}}
== References == {{Reflist|20em}}
=== Sources === {{refbegin|colwidth=40em|indent=yes}} * {{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/21/world/salazar-slytherin-pit-viper-trnd/index.html |title=Scientists discover a new snake and name it after Salazar Slytherin |date=22 April 2020| first=Leah|last= Asmelash|publisher=CNN |accessdate=9 November 2020 }} * {{cite web |last1=Baheerathan |first1=M. |title=Meet Salazar's pit viper – a new snake species named after the parseltongue wizard |url=https://researchmatters.in/news/meet-salazar%E2%80%99s-pit-viper-%E2%80%93-new-snake-species-named-after-parseltongue-wizard |website=Research Matters |accessdate=8 November 2020 |date=4 May 2020 |archive-date=28 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028061813/https://researchmatters.in/news/meet-salazar%E2%80%99s-pit-viper-%E2%80%93-new-snake-species-named-after-parseltongue-wizard |url-status=dead }} * {{cite news |last1=BBC |title=Harry Potter: Snake named after Salazar Slytherin, legendary character from the book series |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/52399326 |work=BBC News |accessdate=8 November 2020 |date=24 Apr 2020}} * {{cite journal |last1=Chandramouli |first1=S. R. |last2=Campbell |first2=Patrick D. |last3=Vogel |first3=Gernot |title=A new species of green pit viper of the genus ''Trimeresurus'' Lacépède, 1804 (Reptilia: Serpentes: Viperidae) from the Nicobar Archipelago, Indian Ocean |journal=Amphibian & Reptile Conservation |date=1 November 2020 |volume=14 |issue=3 |pages=169–176 |url=http://amphibian-reptile-conservation.org/pdfs/Volume/Vol_14_no_3/ARC_14_3_[Taxonomy_Section]_169-176_e264.pdf |accessdate=9 November 2020 }} * {{cite web|last=de Lazaro|first=Enrico|title=New Species of Pit Viper Discovered in India |url=http://www.sci-news.com/biology/salazars-pit-viper-08353.html|date=22 April 2020|accessdate=27 June 2020|work=Sci-News }} * {{cite web |last1=George |first1=Matthew T. |title=A viper named Salazar |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/leisure/2020/05/22/a-viper-named-salazar.html |website=theweek.in |accessdate=9 November 2020 |date=31 May 2020}} * {{cite news |last1=Goswami |first1=Roopak |title=Pit viper discovered in Arunachal Pradesh |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/pit-viper-discovered-in-arunachal-pradesh/cid/1765445 |accessdate=9 November 2020 |work=Telegraph India |date=16 April 2020 }} * {{cite news |last1=Karmakar |first1=Rahul |title=New pit viper in Arunachal Pradesh named after Harry Potter character |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/new-pit-viper-in-arunachal-pradesh-named-after-harry-potter-character/article31356892.ece |accessdate=8 November 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=16 April 2020 }} * {{Cite web|last=Kimbrough |first=Liz |date=29 April 2020|title=One point for Slytherin: New Indian pit viper named after Harry Potter character|url=https://news.mongabay.com/2020/04/one-point-for-slytherin-new-indian-pit-viper-named-after-harry-potter-character/|access-date=27 June 2020|website=Mongabay Environmental News|language=en-US}} * {{cite journal |last1=Koirala |first1=Bal Krishna |last2=Jamtsho |first2=Karma |last3=Wangdi |first3=Phuntsho |last4=Tshering |first4=Dawa |last5=Wangdi |first5=Rinchen |last6=Norbu |first6=Lam |last7=Phuntsho |first7=Sonam |last8=Lhendup |first8=Sonam |last9=Nidup |first9=Tshering |title=Diversity and distribution of snakes in Trashigang Territorial Forest Division, eastern Bhutan |journal=Journal of Threatened Taxa |date=29 January 2021 |pages=17455–17469 |volume=13 |issue=1 |doi=10.11609/jott.6835.13.1.17455-17469 |doi-access=free }} * {{Cite journal |last1=Mirza |first1=Zeeshan A. |last2=Bhosale |first2=Harshal S. |last3=Phansalkar |first3=Pushkar U. |last4=Sawant |first4=Mandar |last5=Gowande |first5=Gaurang G.|last6=Patel|first6=Harshil|date=15 April 2020|title=A new species of green pit vipers of the genus ''Trimeresurus'' Lacépède, 1804 (Reptilia, Serpentes, Viperidae) from western Arunachal Pradesh, India |url=https://zse.pensoft.net/article/48431/|journal=[[Zoosystematics and Evolution]]|language=en|volume=96|issue=1|doi=10.3897/zse.96.48431|issn=1860-0743|doi-access=free |pages=123–138|accessdate=8 November 2020 }} * {{cite journal |last1=Rathee |first1=Yashpal Singh |last2=Purkayastha |first2=Jayaditya |last3=Dalal |first3=Siddharth |last4=Lalremsanga |first4=Hmar Tlawmte |title=First record of Salazar's Pitviper (Trimeresurus salazar) from Meghalaya, India, with comments on hemipenes |journal=Reptiles & Amphibians |date=13 May 2021 |volume=28 |issue=1 |pages=131–136 |doi=10.17161/randa.v28i1.15369|doi-access=free }} * {{cite web|last=Starr|first=Michelle|date=23 April 2020|title=New Species of Slithering Snake Has Been Named For Salazar Slytherin |url=https://www.sciencealert.com/new-species-of-slithering-snake-has-been-named-for-salazar-slytherin|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=27 June 2020|work=ScienceAlert }} * {{cite journal |last1=Vogel |first1=Gernot |last2=Mallik |first2=Ashok Kumar |last3=Chandramouli |first3=S. R. |last4=Sharma |first4=Vivek |last5=Ganesh |first5=S. R. |title=A review of records of the Trimeresurus albolabris Gray, 1842 group from the Indian subcontinent: expanded description and range extension of Trimeresurus salazar, redescription of Trimeresurus septentrionalis and rediscovery of historical specimens of Trimeresurus davidi (Reptilia: Viperidae) |journal=Zootaxa |date=17 August 2022 |volume=5175 |issue=3 |pages=343–366 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.5175.3.2|pmid=36095361 |s2cid=251631832 }} {{refend}}
{{Trimeresurus}} {{taxonbar|from=Q90903062}}
[[Category:Trimeresurus|Salazar]] [[Category:Snakes of Asia]] [[Category:Endemic reptiles of India]] [[Category:Reptiles described in 2020]]