After over a one C of misguided identity , we receive the Talamancan palm - pitviper to the scientific biotic community . Known about for more than 100 years , the new species of venomous snake in the grass had long been thought to be another that hold incredibly like marker . But after conducting a DNA depth psychology on the snake , researcherswere able to confirmthat they were indeed look at an entirely young specie .
The two metal money of almost - selfsame calculate viper are an model of what is known as " cryptic speciation " . “ It ’s a really interesting phenomenon , ” explains Professor Christopher Parkinson , who led the squad that made the breakthrough publish inZootaxa , in astatement . “ It indicate some of the complexities we deal with when cataloging biodiversity . ”
The snake is thought to live in low-toned densities at high altitudes in Costa Rica and are thus difficult to try . The squad , therefore , turned to historic museum collection to prove their distrust that what was long thought to be one mintage was in fact two .
The freshly named Talamancan palm - pitviper ( Bothriechis nubestris ) is the pitter-patter simulacrum of the lightlessness - speckle thenar - pitviper ( Bothriechis nigroviridis ) . While the venom in the new species has yet to be studied , that found in the black - specked is an evolutionary quandary . It was recently found to have a toxin know as nigroviriditoxin , which up until that point had only ever been read in a separate group of rattler . This case of maliciousness has not been seen in non - rattler before , which raises the query of whether there was a common ancestor that had the same toxin , or whether it evolve double . It will be interesting to see if the Talamancan palm tree - pitviper follows courtship .
“ It ’s surely an interesting question , because it receive at some of the fundamental concept in evolution,”saysAndrew Mason , a Ph.D. student involved with the study . “ We are really concerned in reckon how the venom of this new species compares to other medallion - pitvipers , and especially the calamitous - speckle palm - pitviper because they are morphologically very standardised . ”
The researchers stress the importance of maintaining these collections in ordering to make such discovery potential , and that the continual corroboration of new species is vital for scientific discipline and research . For illustration , the information they glean from the snakes ' venom could contribute to novel protein discovery and drug evolution .
