Viper-mimicking snake from Asia is a unique branch in the reptile evolutionary tree

The evolutionary history of the mock viper, a mildly venomous, widely distributed Asian snake that mimics highly venomous vipers for self-defense, has been solved. The mock viper represents a completely unique branch in the tree of life of snakes, and hence, it has been allocated into its own new family named Psammodynastidae. The study is published in Scientific Reports.