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A new species of hidden snake has been discovered in Vietnam that has a single-scale pattern and glows with incredible iridescent colors.
The reptile, called Achalinus zugorum, has been discovered by researchers while wandering through the karst forest while observing other creatures in the area.
The snake has no bright light receptors in its eyes, leading the team to determine that it was either hiding in the ground or crawling under debris on the forest floor. It is also part of a rare genus of hidden snakes, which branched off the evolutionary tree long before other groups.
The discovery was made by researchers from the National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution’s Institute of Biological and Environmental Resources at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, according to Smithsonian magazine.
The team named the new species after retired Smithsonian curator of reptiles and amphibians, George Zug, and his wife, Patricia Zug.
George is known for his contribution to tutoring students, and Patricia has supported him at every step of his career.
Achalinus zugorum, found on a small gravel road near a small town, is the only known species of its kind.
The team collected the sample six months ago, although it was announced on December 7, and since then they have been unable to find any more of this species.
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According to the study published in the journal Copeia, nothing is known about the environment, behavior, diet, or preferred microhabitats for this species, although it is presumed that it was a semi-fossil species extracted due to recent heavy rains prior to collection.
The rare snake has a dark purple and black back, with a dark brown underside and strong iridescence throughout the body.
The researchers took the snake to the Smithsonian where its DNA was sequenced, allowing them to confirm that it was a new species to science.
The next step is to send it back to Vietnam, where it will be indexed.
“In 22 years of reptile study in Vietnam, only six odd-sized snakes were collected. This is one of the least studied groups of reptiles,” said Trung Nguyen, deputy director of the Institute of Environment and Biological Resources at the Academy of Science. and Vietnam Technology.
As they conduct more biodiversity studies, the group hopes to find other Achalinus snakes and learn a lot about their behavior.
The team hopes to find more of these species, but clarifies that the area in which they are found is threatened by deforestation and the agricultural explosion, all of which can make it difficult to discover more.
Source: Daily Mail
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