Hazardous snake species found in New Guinea that can rot skin

A new kind of snake that is able to bite without opening the jaws and can jump from a distance equal to the length of his body, has just been discovered in West Africa.

The three new specimens, which had not been studied to date, were discovered by a group of scientists in the tropical forests of southeastern Guinea and northwestern Liberia.

This is a new type of viperido whose main feature is that its fangs to overtake on the sides of his muzzle. This feature allows him to hunt his prey from unusual angles and without having to open the mouth at all.

It's precisely because of its unusual physiology that these snakes can not be handled like the others, who just need to hold their heads.

Although his venom is not able to kill a human being, his sting can cause a serious tissue necrosis that can lead to the loss of certain limbs.

The new species has been named Stiletto of the branch, o Atractaspis branchi, in honor of William Branch, a South African herpetologist who died in February 2017.

He lives in areas of pristine rainforest and at the edge of the western forests of Upper Guinea; a region known for its unique and diverse wildlife.

The team that made this new discovery was led by Dr. Mark-Oliver Roedel, who works for the Museum of Natural History in Berlin.

The first of these specimens was found last week in a forested area of ​​Liberia.

Trying to pick it up, the snake tried to hide and at some point the fangs resting on the side of his mouth were in the sight of the scientists.

The team reported that the reptile had traveled distances almost as long as his body to try to escape.

The other two specimens were found in the middle of a banana plantation in south-eastern Guinea and 27 kilometers from where the first was.

The scientists explained that studies are still needed to gather more information on their ecological needs and biological properties; the details of the discovery were published in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.