Smithophis leptofasciatus-A new rain snake species

A team of researchers from Mizoram University and the Guwahati-based conservation group Help Earth has discovered a new species of rain snake in an elevated tropical forest in Mizoram.

The New Species: The Narrow-banded Rain Snake

• Scientific Name: Smithophis leptofasciatus. The name is a hybrid of Greek and Latin, meaning ‘narrow-banded’, which refers to its distinctive dorsal markings.
• Local Name: The researchers have proposed the Mizo name ‘Ruahrul’ for the snake.
• Habitat: It was found in humid, shaded microhabitats near small streams in montane forests, at altitudes between 900 and 1,200 meters above sea level.
• Lifestyle: Field observations revealed the snake has a semi-aquatic, nocturnal lifestyle. Rain snakes, in general, are named as such because they become more active and visible during the rainy season.
• Publication: The discovery has been formally described in the latest issue of Taprobanica: The Journal of Asian Biodiversity.

Source: TH