A new species of snake with a remarkably long snout has been discovered in India. According to a report published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity, two specimens of the long-snouted vine snake (Ahaetulla longirostris) were found in Bihar and Meghalaya, located hundreds of kilometres apart.
The Miami Herald reports that in 2021, scientists Sourabh Verma and Soham Pattekar discovered a dead, 4-foot-long creature while walking on the outskirts of a village in Bihar The duo was left intrigued by the unfamiliar appearance of the snake which did not resemble any known species. The snake was later identified as a new species called Ahaetulla longirostris, also known as the long-snouted vine snake. This discovery was made possible by DNA testing, follow-up surveys, and in-depth research.
Take a look at pictures of the snake below:
A close-up image of the new species shows the strangely shaped head. Due to this distinctive feature, the species was named Ahaetulla longirostris, derived from the Latin words “longus" (long) and “rostrum" (snout), as noted by the researchers.
“On 16 December 2021, a deceased vine snake was found on the outskirts of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve at the boundaries of the Gonauli village in the state of Bihar, India. The cause of death could not be ascertained as the animal did not bear any external injury," the study reported.
Reports indicate that for molecular analysis, the tail tip of the dead snake specimen was preserved in 95 per cent ethanol. The study explained that “molecular data further attested to the distinctiveness of the Bihar and Meghalaya snake populations, which are described here as a new species."
As per the findings published in the Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity, long-snouted vine snakes can grow up to four feet in length. Schienitsts Zeeshan Mirza, Sourabh Verma, Bryan Stuart, Soham Pattekar, Jayaditya Purkayastha, Pratyush Mohapatra, and Harshil Patel collaborated on the research.
These vine snakes, characterised by their long snouts, can be either orange-brown or vivid green, with their bellies typically being orange. They inhabit both forested areas and “human-dominated" environments, such as towns and cities.
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