Dubai: Scientists in India recently name a newly discovered snake species after Salazar Slytherin, a character from J.K Rowling’s bestselling fantasy series Harry Potter, and the news went viral on twitter.
Tweeps absolutely “love” the choice of name and Potterheads took to social media to share their approval. Tweep @jrmnbruis posted: “50 points to Slytherin?”
Where was it discovered?
According to an article by Indian news magazine, India Today, the bright green venomous snake was discovered in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh and was officially named “Trimeresurus Salazar, meaning Salazar's pit viper”.
Researchers from the National Centre for Biological Science of Bangalore, discovered the species of snake. The report quotes the researchers comments in a recently written paper, wherein they said: “The specific epithet is a noun in apposition for J.K. Rowling's fictional Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's co-founder, Salazar Slytherin.”
There are about 50 types of pit vipers and they can grow to a length of about 3.25 feet. They are usually found in bamboo groves and forests, usually near streams. These snakes feed on lizards and birds.
This species is a little different from other snakes as it has an orange-reddish stripe on its head, among the male snakes, according to the report.
Harry Potter reference
Why is the new species named after Salazar Slytherin? Salazar Slytherin was the founder of Slytherin House, one of the four houses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in Rowling’s books
The pit viper has bright green scales, and its colour resembles the symbol of Slytherin house.
Online reactions
Harry Potter fans shared the news on twitter and tagged author J. K. Rowling, informing her of this new discovery.
Tweep @grecianfreak posted: “This snake being named after Salazar Slytherin may be the best thing about 2020 so far.”
Tweep @RyanMarino posted: “This wonderful news really checks all the boxes for me.”
Twitter user @littlekayy posted: “Scientists discovered a new snake and named it after Salazar Slytherin this is a big day."
Tweep @neekoiii made a Harry Potter reference to the Malfoy family, who were from Slytherin house, and said: “I believe the Malfoys are the most fitting representatives of House Slytherin to give a statement on this discovery.”
Other animals named after Harry Potter characters
According to a 2017 article by US-based Time Magazine, a new species of crabs was named after lead character Severus Snape, from Harry Potter, and was called Harryplax severus.
In a 2016 article by UK-based broadcast channel BBC, a new species of spider resembled the ‘Sorting Hat’ from Harry Potter and was named after Godric Gryffindor, founder of Gryffindor house, and was called Eriovixia gryffindori.
