Researchers have discovered a new species of dwarf boa in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest. The snake, which can grow up to 20 centimeters in length and has a color and pattern very similar to the boa constrictor, is named after an early 20th-century indigenous rights activist named Dolores Cacuango.
Two specimens of Tropidophis cacuangoae have been found in the Colonso Chalupas Nature Reserve and in the Sumak Kawasay Private Park, Ecuador’s Ministry of the Environment said. The dwarf boas are “a holdover” from prehistoric times, said scientist Mario Yanez of Quito’s National Institute of Biodiversity. The animals are “so old” that it is a “privilege” to meet them.
Animal has “vestigial pelvis”
An unusual feature of the newly discovered species is the “vestigial pelvis” characteristic of primordial snakes. Some researchers see this as evidence for their belief that snakes descended from lizards and lost their limbs over millions of years.
The research team’s discovery was recently published in the European Journal of Taxonomy. According to the Department of the Environment, there are now six species of dwarf boas unique to South America.
Source: Krone
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