Snake photo leads to the discovery of a new species
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Snake photo leads to the discovery of species of kukri snake.
An Instagram picture of a snake uploaded by Virendra Bhardwaj, a master student, led to the discovery of a new snakes species.
Virendra, who’s staying at home due to the pandemic, started to post pictures of snakes, insects, or anything that he encountered in the backyard of his house.
His Instagram posts came across to Zeeshan Mirza, who is a researcher at the Centre of Biological Sciences in Bangalore. The pictures caught his attention and he instantly began to research them.
Upon researching about the snake, the researchers came to the conclusion that these snakes belong to a group of snakes called Kukri snakes. They are named so because of their curved teeth, which resemble Nepali knives called kukri.
Research on kukri snakes
When Virendra uploaded the pictures, Zeeshan’s research team began studying the species. At first, they thought that the snake belonged to the species of kukri snakes.
Due to the pandemic, the research process slowed down. Later, the research team studied the DNA of the snake specimens and reached the conclusion that these snakes belong to a different species from the common kukri snake.
The researchers compared the physical features of the snakes and later, they confirmed that the snakes belonged to a species that is unknown to science.
Have you ever spotted a different type of snake or any other different animal? Let us know in the comments below.
There are many unique animals in the world that look and behave interestingly and differently. Have you heard about water bears or tardigrades? How about a platypus or wombat or living fossils? In fact, there are many unique, strange and rare animals that are also fascinating and amazing. Read more about such captivating creatures in our animal news for kids.
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