A beautiful non-venomous snake, previously unknown to science, was discovered in Paraguay and described by researchers of the country. It is part of the Phalotris group, which has 15 semi-subterranean species in central South America. The group of snakes has red, black, and yellow patterns.
Jean-Paul Brouard, one of the involved researchers, came across an individual of the new species by chance while digging a hole. The discovery was described in the open-access scientific journal Zoosystematics and Evolution. The authors named it after two children who were born in the same year. They wanted their children to inherit a better world, so they inspired the founding of the NGOs to work for the protection of wildlife.
The new Phalotris snake has a red head, yellow collar, black band and orange scales, which make it attractive and can be distinguished from other related species. It is endemic to the forests of the San Pedro department in east Asuncin. Colonia Volendam and Laguna Blanca are 90 km apart.
The authors considered this species to be in danger of extinction due to its extreme rarity and lack of protection.
This species can only be found in the famous tourist destination of Laguna Blanca.
The authors say that this shows once again the need to protect the natural environment in this region. The site should be considered a national priority for preservation.
More information: Paul Smith et al, A new species of Phalotris (Serpentes, Colubridae, Elapomorphini) from Paraguay, Zoosystematics and Evolution (2022). DOI: 10.3897/zse.98.61064 Citation: Striking new snake species discovered in Paraguay (2022, May 16) retrieved 16 May 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-05-snake-species-paraguay.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
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