Main image via Eaglenest Biodiversity Project
What happens when a fictional world meets with real-life science?
A team of researchers from India discovered a new breed of green pit vipers which was given the name Trimeresurus Salazar, or Salazar’s pit viper.
A researcher from the National Centre for Biological Science of Bangalore, India wrote that the epithet is a noun in apposition for J.K Rowling’s fictional character, Salazar Slytherin.
Image via Wizarding World
If you’re a fan of the Harry Potter lore, you would know that Salazar Slytherin was one of the founders of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, alongside Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff.
The findings were published in the April issue of Zoosystematics and Evolution.
The pit vipers in the genus Trimeresurus are venomous and can be found in the East and Southeast Asia regions.
One of its features that stood out is the orange-reddish stripe found on the side of the head in males.