Chinese scientists have discovered a new species of the aggressive brownish pit viper in the largest scientific study since the 1970s on wildlife at Mount Everest in Tibet.
A genetic analysis identified Protobothrops himalayanus, which was first spotted at Jilong Valley in southern Tibet Autonomous Region in 2012, as a new snake species.
The new species was named in honour of its home, the Himalayas, said Hu Huijian, co-chief of the research team and a researcher of the South China Institute of Endangered Animals.
Featuring a round head and copper-coloured eyes, the adult Protobothrops himalayanus is about 1.5 metres in length. Mostly found on the south flank of the Himalayas, the reptile is fierce and aggressive.