The ro hypa was a serpentine creature native to the desert planet Mataou in the Anoat sector. They were red and purple in appearance and were highly venomous, capable of spewing potent poison at their prey.
A ro hypa spews venom from its mouth
Being a snake-like species, ro hypa had a long, tapering, cylindrical body covered in red scales. However, while snakes were limbless, ro hypa had four purple tentacles that worked as legs. One of the most venomous creatures in the Outer Rim Territories of the galaxy, it could kill its victim with a single bite. Aside from the biting, it could also spew its venom at the target. Ro hypa brood mothers were much larger than regular specimens. Young ro hypa had green scales, and they were referred to as "biters."
Wild ro hypa built nests, in which negligent adventurers sometimes fell. They had an aggressive behavior, attacking trespassers on sight. Despite this behavior, ro hypa were capable of being trained.
Ro hypa hailed from Mataou, a planet of the Anoat sector that was once ruled by the Hutts. Riley, a human thief from Burnin Konn, surmised that the Hutts may have abandoned Mataou precisely because of "the giant snake monsters." While those creatures were extremely dangerous, their venom had medicinal value, and there were people who made a living farming them. By the time of the Iron Blockade, ro hypa were a common encounter in many former Hutt villages that had been rebuilt by various criminal groups.
- The Art of Star Wars: Uprising