New Species of Snakes Discovered in the last 10 Years

[drezden]

I was browsing around the internet and came across some cool new(er) snakes, so I have compiled some of the most recent below:

Matilda's Horned Viper (Atheris matildae)
2011

A new type of snake, a species of bush viper, was discovered in southern Tanzania during a recent biological survey. The snake's exact location is being kept secret to protect the visually striking black-and-yellow snake from illegal pet collectors.

The new species, named Matilda's Horned Viper (Atheris matildae), is described as having hornlike scales above its eyes and measuring 2.1 feet (60 centimeters). The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) researchers who conducted the survey named the new species after the daughter of study co-author Tim Davenport, director of WCS's Tanzania Program.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45933521...nzania-forest/

Ruby-eyed Green Pit Viper (Cryptelytrops rubeus)

Seen coiled around a branch in an undated picture, a new species of snake called the ruby-eyed green pit viper (Cryptelytrops rubeus) has been discovered in Southeast Asia, according to a recent study. The snake lives in forests near Ho Chi Minh City and across the low hills of southern Vietnam and eastern Cambodia's Langbian Plateau.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...species-found/

Dendrelaphis girii
2001

NAVI MUMBAI: A snake species found only in the Western Ghats has been given the scientific name 'Dendrelaphis girii', after Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) scientist Varad B Giri.

The new species has a black stripe behind the eye that barely extends onto the neck. In 2001, a team of nature enthusiasts lead by Ashok Captain and Kedar Bhide had encountered the species of snake at Amboli in Sindhudurg district. They both tried to identify that snake using scientific techniques and concluded that the particular reptile is very close to Dendrelaphis bifrenalis, a species of snake from Sri Lanka. After two years, Giri and Sameer Kehimkar visited Goa. During this visit, they saw a similar snake with Sunil Korajkar and his team from Goa.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...hide-new-snake

Unnamed
2010

A treasure trove of potentially new species, including a blunt-snouted, slug-sucking snake and 30 species of rain frog, have been discovered in Ecuador by a team of American and Ecuadorian scientists working for Reptile & Amphibian Ecology International.

The snake belongs to a small group of serpents that specialize in eating snails and slugs; the closest relative of this intriguing snake is found nearly 350 miles away in Peru.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news...snakes.html#cr

(Coluberoelaps nguyenvansangi)
2009

This fangless snake (Coluberoelaps nguyenvansangi) represents not only a new species to science, but a new genus as well.

Thin, with dark blue sides and a narrow band along the spine, the so-called dwarf fossorial snake lacks fangs and venom.

One of ten reptiles discovered in the Greater Mekong region in 2009, this snake was found in the Lam Dong province of southern Vietnam. It is thought to feed on earthworms, snakes, small lizards, amphibians, and fish.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...27_600x450.jpg

Kopstein's bronzeback
2007

Long confused with a snake called the elegant bronzeback, central Borneo's Kopstein's bronzeback (pictured) was identified as a separate snake species in 2007.

"It's got this great ability to flare its neck when threatened, and [has] a rather aggressive disposition," said WWF ecologist Adam Tomasek. With its unusual appearance, the snake looks "like it almost slithered through a rainbow and picked up the colors."

Herpetologist Gernot Vogel, who named the 5-foot-long (1.5-meter-long) snake in honor of the late Austrian naturalist Felix Kopstein, says he has since named five related species on Borneo.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...34_600x450.jpg

Gumprecht’s Green Pit Viper (Trimeresurus gumprechteri)
2002

A striking bright green snake commonly known as Gumprecht's green pit viper is one of the most distinctive new species discoveries made in the Southeast Asian region of Greater Mekong during the last decade, according to a new report.

The serpent, which has the formal name Trimeresurus gumprechti, was first described in 2002 by Europe-based scientists Patrick David, Gernot Vogel, Olivier S.G. Pauwels, and Nicolas Vidal.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/2008...-find-asia.htm

[Don]

Cool stuff.

[drezden]

Hydrophis donaldi
2012

A new species of venomous sea snake mysteriously covered head to tail in spiny scales has been discovered in treacherous seas off northern Australia, a new study says.

Though some other sea snakes have spiky scales on their bellies, "no other [known] sea snake has this curious feature," study leader Kanishka Ukuwela, an ecologist at the University of Adelaide, said by email.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...nce-australia/

[snake lab]

I gotta have one of those Gumprecht’s Green pit vipers

[John1982]

That rubeus is awesome!

[Slim]

That Kopstein's Bronzeback is way cool!

[bioteacher]

Cool post! The Dendrelaphis and the snail-eating snake are something special. Really love them!

[Leftnut]

The crazy eyed slug sucker is SWEET!!! It amazes me that there are still places That aren't completely wrecked and undiscovered fauna of any sort. It makes you realize how small and insignificant we really are.

[leper65]

These guys look pretty bad ass too: I think Tom Crutchfield has some.

Mangshan Pit Viper





http://library.sandiegozoo.org/facts...pit_viper.html

[Cross Exotics]

I'll take two of each please :-p