A team of Chinese researchers has discovered a new species of mountain pit viper, a medium-sized venomous snake. The snake was found in Yunnan, China, a biodiversity hotspot where several new reptile species have been discovered in recent years.
Like many other species, this snake is endemic to China’s Yingjiang County, which means it is currently found only there. “It is not difficult to find this species in the wild, they are active mainly in the autumn and prefer cool, humid, and even rainy nights, probably to avoid competition with other snakes,” the researchers say, suggesting it might feed on small mammals.
Reference: “A new mountain pitviper of the genus Ovophis Burger in Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981 from Yunnan, China” by Xian-Chun Qiu, Jin-Ze Wang, Zu-Yao Xia, Zhong-Wen Jiang, Yan Zeng, Nan Wang, Pi-Peng Li and Jing-Song Shi, 30 May 2024,