new guinea death adder
new guinea death adder Lexical Profile
• noun
A highly venomous snake of the elapid family (Acanthophis laevis or related species) native to the island of New Guinea and surrounding Indonesian islands, characterized by its thick, viper-like body and tendency to ambush prey using its tail as a lure.
"While surveying the tropical forests of Papua New Guinea, the herpetologist narrowly avoided stepping on a well-camouflaged New Guinea death adder hiding in the leaf litter."
Word Nuance & Usage
Despite its common name, the New Guinea death adder is not a true viper (often called adders) but rather an elapid—a family of venomous snakes that includes cobras and mambas.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named for its native habitat on the island of New Guinea and its membership in the 'death adder' genus (Acanthophis). The term 'adder' originally derives from Old English 'nædre', meaning snake.