PERTH: Scientists recently announced the discovery of a new species of venomous snake, the Kimberley death adder, so named for the remote region in Australia where it makes its home. What is unusual is the reptile has been hiding out there in plain sight.
The Kimberley death adder, or Acanthophis cryptamydros, measures roughly 50 cm long (20 inches). Like many death adders, its coloration tends toward a light, reddish-brown color. Like its kin, it is an ambush predator using a sit and wait method of hunting.
While camouflaging itself, it will quietly and patiently wait, dangling its tail like a fishing lure, until an unsuspecting lizard or other small creature comes close. Study leader Simon Maddock, a Ph.D. student in a joint program at University College London and the Natural History Museum, London, said the discovery was a big surprise.
