Scientists have
discovered 11 new species of plants and animals in Vietnam, including a snake, two butterflies and five orchid
varieties. The new species were found in a remote region known as the "Green Corridor" in Thua Thien Hue province in central Vietnam.The new snake species, the white-lipped keelback, generally lives near streams and eats frogs and other small animals. It has a yellow-white stripe along its head, red dots on its body and can grow to more than 30 inches long.Three of the new orchid species are leafless, which is unusual for orchids. The other new plant species include one in the aspidistra family, which
produces a black flower and can subsist in low light, and an arum,
which produces yellow flowers surrounded by funnel-shaped leaves.All the new species are exclusive to tropical forests in Vietnam''s
Annamites mountain range. It said all the species in the area are under
threat from illegal logging, hunting and development.