A newfound boa sports big eyes and a square nose - Science News Magazine

A wide-eyed snake has made scientists do a double take. The Hispaniolan vineboa, with its large protruding eyes and square snout, is the first boa species to be discovered in the Dominican Republic in more than a century.

Naturalist Miguel Landestoy of the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and colleagues discovered the snake, Chilabothrus ampelophis, slithering in a patch of mountainous dry forest near the country's southwestern border with Haiti on the island of Hispaniola. The last time researchers described a new boa species on the island was in 1888.

"The fact that an animal could have gone undetected for so long on this island that has a lot of people on it is pretty remarkable," says R. Graham Reynolds, a herpetologist at the University of North Carolina Asheville.

What's more, the Hispaniolan vineboa may be among the smallest boas in the world, Reynolds, Landestoy and colleague Robert Henderson of the Milwaukee Public Museum report August 17 in Breviora. Adult boa species typically reach 2 meters or more in length (SN: 10/13/09). The longest Hispaniolan vineboa that the team found, an adult female, measures less than 1 meter. The shortest, probably a juvenile male, is less than a half meter long.

Compared with the three other boa species found on the island, the Hispaniolan vineboa's small size, large eyes and dark, zigzag patterned scales tipped off the researchers that they had spotted something new. Genetic analyses and close inspections five different snakes plus one shed skin confirmed the team's hunch that the Hispaniolan vineboa is a species new to science.

But the species may already be in trouble. All serpents that the team found were within one kilometer of each other. That's "a little bit alarming in the sense that they might be restricted to a very small area," Reynolds says. Agricultural activities such as charcoal burning threaten the species' habitat. The team's next steps will be to figure out the boa's true range and how big individuals can get.   

Adblock test (Why?)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

20 of the World's Most Venomous Snakes - Treehugger

Image
An estimated 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes each year, leading to between 81,000 and 138,000 deaths and many more amputations, according to the World Health Organization. Snakes with very potent venom aren't always the most dangerous to people, however. Most just want to be left alone and won't seek out encounters with humans. From the colorful-but-deadly blue Malayan coral to the sometimes indistinguishable cottonmouth, here are 20 of the world's most venomous snakes.  Inland Taipan Ken Griffiths/ Getty Images Considered the world's most venomous snake, Australia's rare and reclusive inland taipan ( Oxyuranus microlepidotus ) mounts rigorous self-defense when provoked, striking with one or more bites. What makes the inland taipan particularly deadly isn't just its high toxicity, but an enzyme that helps accelerate the venom's absorption into the victim's body. Luckily, the inland taipan is rar...
Read more

SNAKES! Texas’ venomous rattlers, cottonmouths slithering out with warmer weather - KXAN.com

Image
AUSTIN (KXAN) — As summer months draw near and temperatures rise, so do the odds of snakes coming out to hiss — or deliver a dangerous kiss! While snakes serve valuable functions to their habitats (more on that below), it's important to know what to look out for – for their safety and yours. Many types of venomous snakes call Texas home: here's how to spot them and what to do if you find yourself on the receiving end of a nasty bite. Pop icon Britney Spears dances with a python at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards Lone Star Snakes Rattlesnakes These serpents are among the most common found in Texas, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. There are 10 species found in the state — including the Western diamondback , the most common venomous snake in all of Texas. You can spot a Western diamondback by the brown, diamond-shaped marks down its back and white and black rings near the tail. They can reach up to seven feet, TPW says. A Western diamondback rattlesnake...
Read more

Top 7 Best Pet Lizards For Beginners - 2022 Guide - TheNationRoar

Image
img source: theuniversityanimalclinic.com When it comes to choosing lizards for adoption, there are at least 6000 varieties spread over various continents. Now not all fit for keeping as pets, but many lizards are there which need less maintenance and thus, those who are new to pet keeping, can manage to take care of such lizards. When it comes to the looks of the lizards, most of them are quite exotic. Their habits and behavior are pretty different from each other, and probable owners need to know a lot of things related to their daily life to keep them safe and healthy. Which is the easiest lizard to keep? img source: thesprucepets.com Leopard geckos are the most easily managed lizard so when someone needs an easy pet to keep at home they can easily get one. They have certain requirements regarding the terrarium like the proper heating, diet and substrate. They do not even need specific lighting in their habitat. But if you can arrange for a proper atmosphere wi...
Read more