Scientists Discover New Black, Glossy Snake Species. They Named It After Steve Irwin

Scientists Discover New Black, Glossy Snake Species. They Named It After Steve Irwin

Scientists Discover New Black, Glossy Snake Species. They Named It After Steve Irwin The late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin has been an inspiration to countless animal lovers over the years. And researchers R.S. Naveen, S.R. Chandramouli, and Zeeshan A. Mirza are no exception. The trio just published a study about a newly discovered snake species they found on the Nicobar Archipelago, a biodiversity hotspot in the Bay of Bengal near mainland India. L. irwini. Photo courtesy of Girish Choure The new species is a black, glossy snake that resides in an area UNESCO has categorized as a biosphere reserve, due to its vast diversity of species.  Categorized as a nonvenomous wolf snake — now classified as Lycodon irwini — the reptile can grow up to 3.3 feet long and is likely native to the Nicobar Archipelago.  “New species continue to be discovered, exemplified by Lycodon irwini, highlighting the ongoing progress in taxonomy and the incomplete understanding of herpetofaunal diversity and distribu…