A deadly new snake has been discovered after spending decades masquerading as a much less dangerous species, according to researchers — who named the snake after a shape-shifting serpent goddess from a Chinese folktale.
The new species is a type of krait snake found in Southwest China and northern Myanmar and had previously been categorized as the many-banded krait (Bungarus multicinctus).
The researchers named the new snake Suzhen's krait (Bungarus suzhenae) after Bai Su Zhen — a powerful snake goddess from a traditional Chinese myth. .
Researchers hope the new classification will enable local communities to identify the deadly snake and avoid potentially fatal interactions, as well as help scientists to develop a new antivenom to treat Suzhen's krait bites.
Suzhen's krait was one of four different species that were, until recently, collectively labeled as one species called many-banded kraits.