In the South American state of Paraguay, researchers have discovered a colorful, new and rare species of snake. Scientifically named Phalotris shawnella, the non-venomous critter is red and black striped along the body.
Unlike the other five known species of the Phalotris group, the newly discovered species has a reddish head and a yellow transverse band on the neck. Researchers found a total of three specimens in the east of the country, a team led by Paul Smith of the environmental foundation Para La Tierra reports in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
The nearly 50 centimeters long species is apparently extremely rare. Therefore, the authors classify them as “endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Source: Krone
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