photograph courtesy Sean Graham. Harmless to humans, the Trans-Pecos black-hooded snake has a venom that's effective on its favored prey: centipedes. The snake was only known from a few West Texas counties, until Graham's team made the first record in Mexico.

The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest desert in North America, and, in terms of the richness of species, it may be the most biologically diverse desert in the world. That diversity encompasses the range of fauna and flora. There are mammals – and a surprising number of fish – found nowhere else on Earth. Almost a quarter of the world's cactus species are found here.

Yet it's no surprise that this sun-blasted place is a partic... Hosted by for KRTS