D. Bruce Means was navigating some “pesky vines” in the remote Pantepui cloud forest in Guyana when a small creature caught his eye.
Hidden in the leaf litter was an approximately 7-inch snake, which researchers have determined is a new, rare species, according to a study published Aug. 16. The reptile was discovered during a 2021 expedition to the summit of Wei-Assipu, a mountain in Guyana.
Paikwaophis kruki is the only known species of the newly identified Paikwaophis genus, researchers said.
The light brown snake has a “boldly” whitish head, experts said. Its sides are “coal black” and are marked with blue streaks.
The creature has dark reddish orange or rust colored eyes with a vertical pupil, according to scientists. The non venomous snake has smooth fangs, unlike other similar species that have grooved fangs.
The snake was found in a forest region with fairly dense growth of small to medium trees, “pesky vines,” and dense leaf litter, the study said. Because the snake’s head and neck are not distinguished from one another, experts think the creature likely burrows in the soil beneath the leaf litter.
Lizard remains were found in the intestines of the snake collected at the site, indicating that small lizards, at least in part, make up the species’s diet.
Scientists distinguished the reptile as unique by its indistinct head and neck, robust body and shorter tail — which is less than an inch long and only 13% of the snake’s total length. It has smooth scales and 175 vertebrae, the study said.
Researchers said they named the genus after the Paikwa River, which is near where the snake was discovered, and the Greek word for snake, “ophis.” The species name, Paikwaophis kruki, was inspired by Andrzej Kruk, Dean of the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection at the University of Łódź.
The creature is the only known snake genus endemic to the Pantepui region, researchers said.
The Paikwa River is in northwestern Guyana, near the borders of Venezuela and Brazil. (Yahoo News)
