‘Cryptic’ 3-foot-long creature found in mangroves of Myanmar. It’s a new species

Aspen Pflughoeft
·2 min read
4

In the mangrove forests of central Myanmar a “cryptic” creature moved through the trees. Something about the scaly animal caught the attention of scientists. It turned out to be a new species.

Researchers first encountered the green snakes during wildlife surveys in 2000 and 2001, according to a study published Dec. 13 in the journal ZooKeys. Initially, these snakes were misidentified as known species of pit viper.

A DNA analysis of the “cryptic” snakes later revealed that the animals belonged to a “distinct species,” the study said.

Intrigued, researchers took a closer look at 19 of these misidentified green snakes and realized they’d discovered a new species: Trimeresurus ayeyarwadyensis, or the Ayeyarwady pit viper.

Ayeyarwady pit vipers can reach over 3 feet in length, the study said. They have “sharply” textured scales with an overall green coloring that varies in hue and pattern.

Photos show several Ayeyarwady pit vipers. One snake has an ombré body, with its mossy green back fading to lime green and an almost yellow-white coloring on its belly.

A Trimeresurus ayeyarwadyensis, or Ayeyarwady pit viper, as seen in the wild. Photos by Wolfgang Wüster
A Trimeresurus ayeyarwadyensis, or Ayeyarwady pit viper, as seen in the wild. Photos by Wolfgang Wüster

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Another photo shows an Ayeyarwady pit viper with a blotchy pattern, electric green scales interspersed with forest green scales. It has a white line running along its side and a yellow belly. Its forked tongue is the color of black licorice.

Two Trimeresurus ayeyarwadyensis, or Ayeyarwady pit vipers, with blotches (C) and darker coloring (D). Photos from Hla tun (C) and Dong Lin (D)
Two Trimeresurus ayeyarwadyensis, or Ayeyarwady pit vipers, with blotches (C) and darker coloring (D). Photos from Hla tun (C) and Dong Lin (D)

The Ayeyarwady pit viper can also have lighter lime green scales and a yellow underside, a photo shows. Researchers also observed that the snake’s eye color “varies from deep red to golden.”

A lighter-colored Trimeresurus ayeyarwadyensis, or Ayeyarwady pit viper. Photo from the CAS-Myanmar Herpetology Survey team
A lighter-colored Trimeresurus ayeyarwadyensis, or Ayeyarwady pit viper. Photo from the CAS-Myanmar Herpetology Survey team

The new species was found in mangrove forests and other forest habitats of two neighboring coastal regions, the Yangon Region and the Ayeyarwady Region, the study said. These regions are about 300 miles south of Naypyidaw, the capital city.

Researchers said the new species was named after the Ayeyarwady River, also known as the Irrawaddy River. This river is “the largest and one of the most important” in the country. It also helps mark the boundaries of the new species’ distribution range.

The research team included Kin Onn Chan, Shahrul Anuar, Ananthanarayanan Sankar, Ingg Thong Law, Ing Sind Law, Rasu Shivaram, Ching Christian, Daniel Mulcahy and Anita Malhotra.

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