Atheris matildae
| Atheris matildae | |
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| Species: | A. matildae
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| Atheris matildae Menegon, Davenport & Howell, 2011
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Atheris matildae, also known as Matilda's Horned Viper, is a species of arboreal forest viper discovered in the southern highlands of Tanzania during a 2010–2011 biological survey. The exact location of the viper is unspecified, to protect it from being collected for the illegal pet trade.[1] The snake was descibed on December 6, 2011, in a study published in the journal, Zootaxa. A captive breeding colony has already been established by the authors of the study.[1] The species is most likely a nocturnal hunter, waiting by streams to ambush frogs. It resembles the Usambara bush viper.[2][3]
Origin of name
The viper was named after Matilda, the daughter of Tim Davenport, the director of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Tanzania and a member of the three-person team to have discovered the snake.[4]
References
- ^ a b "New viper snake species found". BBC News. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ theherismatildae.org/ Atherismatildae.org
- ^ New large, horned viper discovered in Tanzania The Citizen Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ New snake in Tanzania: 'Fierce, probably venomous' Yahoo News Retrieved 11 January 2012.