New snake species found in Ganjam named after Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: A new species of snake, found by a group of herpetologists and snake lovers in Odisha last year, has been named after the eastern state as Lycodon Odishii, becoming the latest addition to the list of 297 species of snakes found in the country.

The Russian Journal of Herpetology, an international science journal, has published a research paper on the new species in its latest edition published on Friday.

"For over 218 years, scientists from across the world were identifying the snake with juveniles of Lycodon Jara. Several attempts to differentiate the snake were made in the past, but proved unsuccessful due to lack of proper documentation. We worked for a year and a half and finally concluded that this was a new species," said the research paper's author Subhendu Mallik, who is also secretary of Snake Helpline, a voluntary organization working for the rescue and rehabilitation of snakes.

The green-coloured snake has a bright white collar on its neck and twin spots on each scale except the collar. The new species, the common name of which is Subhendu's wolf snake, has several similarities with Lycodon Jara. Scientists used to believe that the juvenile Jara has a collar and as it grows old, the collar disappears.

Volunteers of Snake Helpline found the snake in Berhampur in Ganjam district in 2013. "The female snake had a collar. That struck us because how could an adult Jara have a collar? We started our research on the species," said Mallik. A detailed examination of the specimen showed clear morphological differences of at least 12 characters, he added.-read more-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/New-snake-species-found-in-Ganjam-named-after-Odisha/articleshow/43699789.cms