noun
Okinawa pit viper; Ryukyu Island pit viper
A venomous snake species (Ovophis okinavensis) found in the Ryukyu Islands. The name is typically written in katakana.
沖縄ではヒメハブに咬まれないように注意が必要だ。
In Okinawa, you need to be careful not to get bitten by the Okinawa pit viper.
ヒメハブはハブよりも小型で、毒性も弱いとされる。
The Okinawa pit viper is smaller than the habu and is said to be less venomous.
ハブ refers to the larger, more well-known habu pit viper (Protobothrops flavoviridis), while ヒメハブ is a smaller species with a milder venom.
The name combines 姫 (hime, 'princess' or 'small') with ハブ (habu, the Okinawan pit viper), literally 'princess habu' or 'small habu', referring to its smaller size compared to the common habu.