Crikey, a new species of wolf snake has been discovered in India and named after the late Steve Irwin. Researchers decided to call the glossy black snake “Irwin’s wolf snake,” or “Lycodon irwini,” in honor of the Australian zookeeper, conservationist and television personality known as “the Crocodile Hunter.” “His passion and dedication to wildlife education and conservation have inspired naturalists and conservationists worldwide, including the authors of this paper,” they wrote. The species-which was found in a moist evergreen forest on Great Nicobar Island should be considered “endangered,” according to the team, who have called for conservation efforts to protect the area. “The species was previously mis-identified by researchers in the past. We present evidence that the snake is an entirely new species!” study author Zeeshan A. Mirza of the Max Planck Institute for Biology “The new species is only known from a single island in the Nicobar group of islands and is not common. That qualifies it for a rank of an endangered species.” “The adults of the species grow to about a meter and are glossy black, lacking any pattern or markings. They are strictly nocturnal and likely feed on small lizards, frogs and small mammals. The snakes are non-venomous but will bite when handled,” said Mirza. “The snake belongs to a group of snakes called wolf snakes, so called for their enlarged front teeth like the ones of a wolf.” The team said that they did not just grow up watching Irwin, but were inspired by him to follow their career paths. “All the authors are Indian, and if one considers a profession in India, it is usually inclined towards being a doctor, engineer or government employee. It was often difficult to convince parents if their children chose a career outside these lucrative fields, but Steve Irwin significantly helped change that mindset by demonstrating that one can pursue a career working with snakes!” Mirza explained. Irwin, he added, “played a crucial role not only in shaping our interests but also in altering the attitudes of our parents and Indian society in general.” The researchers explained that, currently, only four records of the species are known-three of which are based on collected specimens in this study, all from Great Nicobar Island. Due to the rarity of sightings, the researchers suggest it may be a naturally scarce species confined to the island’s evergreen forests. “New species continue to be discovered, exemplified by Lycodon irwini, highlighting the ongoing progress in taxonomy and the incomplete understanding of herpetofaunal diversity and distribution in the region,” they added in the paper. “Additionally, although the Nicobar Islands are biogeographically linked to Sundaland, their isolated biota may represent distinct lineages, emphasising the need for focused taxonomy and conservation efforts.” Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the new snake species? com. Reference.
https://www.newsweek.com/glossy-black-snake-named-honor-steve-irwin-11072970