The limestone mountains, subtly referred to as karst terrain, emerge amidst the network of rivers, bays, and valleys in northern Vietnam. The karst ecosystem and the lush forests covering this landscape create a habitat that fosters a rich biodiversity. Here, many species have been discovered that are endemic to the area, meaning they exist nowhere else.
In 2019, in this region, a team of scientists studying biodiversity serendipitously encountered a new species of snake described as stunning.
According to CNN, at first glance, the creature has dark scales, but when light shines on it, the scales sparkle, shifting between shades of blue and green. The scales of this snake are quite small, patterned, and spread out instead of overlapping, making it unlike any known species.
Initially, the experienced scientists were perplexed as they could not identify its species, but they later realized that this was a snake species that had never been discovered before.
“It was truly a thrilling moment,” shared Aryeh Miller, a research fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and a member of the team. “The specimen looks so distinctive that we couldn’t immediately recognize it.”
The new snake species has iridescent scales. (Photo: Smithsonian).
The research team from the Smithsonian Institution and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology announced their discovery in the journal Copeia on December 7. They found the snake in Ha Giang Province, Vietnam, bordering China. The new snake species lacks photoreceptors for bright light in its eyes, indicating that it burrows underground or lives beneath foliage. These types of snakes are particularly difficult to find as they do not inhabit the surface.
The researchers identified the snake as a species in the rare family Achalinus, also known as “strange-scaled snakes” because their scales spread out rather than stacking on top of one another like most other snakes. To date, only 13 species in this family are known, 6 of which are from Vietnam. “In 22 years of surveying reptiles in Vietnam, I have only collected 6 strange-scaled snakes,” said Nguyen Quang Truong, Deputy Director of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. “This is one of the least studied groups of reptiles.”
Rare snake specimen in Vietnam.
The research team named the new snake Achalinus zugorum to honor a retired reptile and amphibian curator at the Smithsonian. The Achalinus family branched off from the evolutionary tree earlier than other groups, meaning they have different shapes and behaviors compared to many other snakes. The researchers hope they can provide important information about the evolutionary process of snakes.
After preliminary surveys, the research team returned the specimen to the Smithsonian for sampling and DNA sequencing. The snake will soon be sent back to Vietnam. In their study, the scientists also emphasized the threats to biodiversity and ecosystems in Vietnam, such as stone mining, deforestation, and overhunting of animals.
Expert Miller stressed: “Some unique species in this area have disappeared before they could be described.”
