Kimberly death adder

Source: http://ab.co/1h7br5l Photo credit: WA Museum

Kimberly death adder Facts

• A new species of highly venomous snake called the Kimberly death adder has been discovered. The area in which it evolved also serves as home to many other deadly creatures.
• Locals always knew this reptile inhabited the region. However, experts mistook it for a related species also endemic to the area (there are so many that they can get confused?).
• As a result, scientists identified this animal as a separate variety of snake via genetic studies conducted by a research student from the United Kingdom.
• Upon closer examination of the snake, herpetologists also ranked the toxicity of its venom as being among the 10 most potent on earth.

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Source: http://bit.ly/1O5Kttr Photographer: R. Ellis

Kimberly death adder Physical Description

Despite the extreme potency of its venom, however, the Kimberly death adder appears to also average only 20 in (50 cm) in length. Nature proves that size does not matter.

The head has a rough diamond-shaped in structure. It also possesses a unique structural pattern to its scales.

Its coloring appears as a combination of white and rather varying shades of brown. Within its native habitat, this provides them with highly effective camouflage.

Similar to other species of its type, the Kimberly death adder also appears to be slow and sluggish in its movements.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Reptilia
• Order: Squamata
• Family: Elapidae
• Genus: Acanthophis
• Species: A. cryptamydros

Source: http://bit.ly/1RdCNDI Photographer: Ryan J. Ellis

Kimberly death adder Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The Kimberly death adder also hunts as an ambush predator. It lures potential prey via a rather slow, rhythmic movement of the tip of the tail, while the rest of its body remains concealed. When it strikes it does so with unerring accuracy, unfortunately for the prey.

Yet it does not pose a serious threat to humans. This holds true because the remoteness of its native range makes encounters extremely rare. The Kimberly death adder only inhabits extremely remote and arid portions of the Kimberly region of Western Australia.

Though it appears to be quite rare, it is not considered threatened, simply because human activity rarely affects it directly (except, of course, for climate change).

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