Report by Shuchi Giridhar
A new species of non- venomous burrowing snake has been discovered in Paraguay, South America.
The snake has been described as ‘beautiful’. The head of the snake is red, followed by a yellow stripe around its neck. Its belly is spotted with black and orange scales.
It has been recorded that the snake is a non-venomous species of the genus ‘Phaloris’.
The name allotted for the species is Phaloris shawnella.
The name ‘Shawnella’ has been given after two children named Shawn Ariel Fernández and Ella Bethany Atkinson. These children supported the fight to save the wildlife in Paraguay.
The findings about the new species have been published in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
Till now, scientists have only tracked the species in two places – in San Pedro- Laguana Blanca and Colonia Volendam.
The snake being a fossorial species was mostly identified hunting and digging underground. But the scientists are concerned that the species is endangered as only three snakes of this species have been spotted. Both the places where the snakes have been spotted are tourist attractions. Out of these snakes, one has been caught for study. The other two escaped.