Under Church, Graveyard Snakes: 3 New Species Discovered, Identified in Ecuador

A research team recently discovered three new Cryptozoic snakes living underground, hidden under churches and graveyards in remote towns in the Andes of Ecuador.

The discovery was made official in research in a recently published journal, a Phys.org report specified. The new snake species, which are small, cylindrical, and somewhat archaic-looking, was named in honor of institutions or people supporting the exploration and conservation of remote cloud forests in the topics.

Unbelievably, graveyards are land of the living, as well. In the Andes of Ecuador, they are inhibited by a fossorial group of snakes that belong to the genus Atractus.

Such ground snakes are the most species-rich snake genus world; there are currently 150 species known worldwide, although few people have seen one or even heard about the species' existence.

This is, perhaps, since the serpents are shy in rare in general, and they stay hidden throughout most of their lives.

3 New Snake Species

The discovery of the three new species happened rather fortuitously and in areas where an individual would potentially not expect to find these animals.

The Discovery Ground Snake was discovered hidden underground in a small graveyard in a southern Ecuador town, while the two other new species were found next to an old church and in a small school.

All of this suggests that new snake species might lurk just around the corner, at least in the Antes.

Regrettably, the ground and villagers' go-existence at the same time is generally bad news for the snakes.

Importance of Identifying Snake Species

The research, published in the Zookeys journal, reports that the majority of the retreating forest line, the said snake species, are finding themselves in need of refuge in spaces used by humans, both dead and alive.

In addition to teaching about the essentiality of snakes, identifying species is essential to raise awareness about the existence of a new animal and its risk of extinction.

In this particular circumstance, two of the new snake species are facing a high risk of extinction in the near future.

Such a discovery process offers an opportunity to recognize and honor the work of institutions and people fighting for wildlife protection.

At the 'Core' of Biology

According to Dr. Juam Guayasamin, the study's co-author and a professor at Universidad San Francisco de Quito, "naming species is at the core of biology."

As indicated in a Bioengineer.org report, no single research is complete if it is not attached to the species name, and most species sharing the planet with humans are not described.

The new species is the first step toward a much more extensive conservation project.

Now, because of the encouragement of ZGAP, the team has already begun establishing a nature reserve to protect ground snakes.

This action would not have been possible minus first unveiling the existence of such distinctive and cryptic reptiles, even if it meant shortly disturbing the peace of the dead there in the graveyard where they lived.

Related information about the discovery of new snake species is shown on CBSDFW's YouTube video below:

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