Next up on our list of unusual snakes is this little weirdo!
There are a number of snake species that use their tails as lures, but none so extravagantly as the Spider-Tailed Horned Viper (pseudocerastes urarachnoides). Their scales and patterning give them superb camouflage in the rocky habitat of their native Iran, but their most notable feature is that bizarre tail comprised of specialized scales, which vaguely resembles a camel-spider. While other species will use their tails to lure rodents, amphibians & fish, this viper’s lure is large & visible enough to attract birds, who swoop down for a snack and are quickly dispatched with the viper’s cytotoxic/hemotoxic venom (video: https://youtu.be/7CjtQOc9euU). They may not be as traditionally “pretty” as some other species, but they’re a magnificent example of predator adaptation and well-deserving of admiration!
