New Species from the Mekong Delta

Tiger-Striped Pit Viper
Scientists were so engrossed with an attempted capture of a new gecko species that they almost missed the tiger-striped pit viper resting on the rock next to them. The 1.5-ft.-long snake has orange eyes and a straw yellow body; it lives on the tiny, sparsely populated Hon Son island in Vietnam's Kien Gang province.

• Scientists Announce Trove of Fragile New Species in Mekong