Wagler's pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri) is an arboreal snake found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.
Patient, and easy to overlook
This species spends much of its time coiled motionless on branches and vines, waiting for prey to come within striking range rather than actively hunting it down — a stillness that also makes it easy for people to walk right past one without noticing.
Males and females that barely look related
Wagler's pit vipers show dramatic sexual dimorphism: females grow noticeably larger than males and develop much more striking, boldly patterned coloration as they mature. The difference used to be so pronounced that early naturalists sometimes mistook males and females for entirely different species.
Range: Southeast Asia · Length: Females can exceed 1 m; males are smaller · Diet: Birds, rodents, lizards, and other small animals · Venom: Hemotoxic · Habitat: Tropical forest, typically in trees and dense vegetation