New Red Head Snake Discovered in Paraguay Already Considered 'Endangered' Due to Rarity of Species

Researchers led by the non-government organization Para la Tierra have recently discovered a new non-venomous snake species belonging to the genus Phalotris, composed of 15 semi-subterranean snake species native to South America. Guyra Paraguay and the Institute of Biological Investigations of Paraguay were also part of the study.

The team named the new snake species Phalotris shawnella in honor of the two children, namely Shawn Ariel Smith Fernández and Ella Bethany Atkinson, born in the same year the NGO was founded in 2008, Earth.com reported. Para la Tierra's founders said that the two children inspired their organization to start the initiative of conserving Paraguayan wildlife for future generations.

New Snake Species Most Notable Features

Jean-Paul Brouard, one of the researchers from Para la Tierra, was the one who discovered the Phalotris shawnella in 2014. He came across an individual of the new species while digging a hole at Rancho Laguna Blanca.

With his colleagues Paul Smith and Pier Cacciali, the team described their discovery in the study titled "A New Species of Phalotris (Serpentes, Colubridae, Elapomorphini) From Paraguay," published in the open-access scientific journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.

According to a news release via EurekAlert!, the new species is attractive and can be easily identified among the Phalotris species because of its red head combined with a yellow collar, black lateral band, orange ventral scales, and black spots.

Today, only three individuals of the new species are endemic to the Cerrado forests of the department of San Pedro in Paraguay. They are only found in two localities - Colonia Volendam and Laguna Blanca - which are at least 56 miles (90 kilometers apart).

New Snake Species is Classified As Endangered Species

The genus Phalotris was first described in 1862 and is known to be found in open areas across Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. According to Sci-News, they are most notable for their striking colors of black, yellow, and red.

However, they are still poorly represented in museums. Today, 15 of its species are divided into three different groups. The first one comprises five tri-color species; the second is the group of four bilineatus species; and the nasutus group with six species.

According to the authors, the area where they found the new species is undergoing an agricultural matrix and they expect constant alteration, which may affect the habitat of the snake. That means it may need urgent conservation action from wildlife groups and authorities.

They added that the rarity of the new species in which it only exists at less than five localities and the continuing decline of its habitat had earned its classification under Endangered species. Most notably, Rancho Laguna Blanca where it was collected, was formerly protected for five years and given recognition as the first Paraguayan Important Area for the Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles.

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