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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
A new species of snake has been discovered in the Conception
Island National Park, a remote part of the southwest Bahamas. The
harmless Silver Boa was found last July during an expedition led by
University of North Carolina biologist Dr. Graham Reynolds.
"This
is the first new boa species discovered in the Caribbean in over
70 years, and it sheds new light on the origins and extent of reptile
biodiversity in the region,” Dr Reynolds said. “But this animal is
critically endangered and already facing extinction.We estimate only a
few hundred remain.”
Dr Reynolds reported his discovery to the
Bahamas National Trust and his findings were recently published in the
journal of Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology. Reynolds is a
Harvard Postdoctoral Fellow.
The researchers named the new
species the Silver Boa, Chilabothrusargentum. The discovery brings the
total known species of West Indian boas to 12, with four species and
several subspecies endemic to various islands in the Bahamas. All are
non-venomous and most are endangered.
“We encountered a beautiful
three-foot-long female climbing in a Silver Top Palm(also known as the
Thatch Palm)tree near the water’s edge. It appeared unlike any species
of boa yet known. Following a search we turned up five more individuals
by the next day,” Reynolds said of his 2015 discovery.
Dr Graham Reynolds and his new discover
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Analysis
of genetic data from tissue samples collected demonstrated that
this unusual silvery boa was a new species, having diverged from other
boas in the last several million years.
Dr. Reynolds led a
second team to the islands in October 2015, directly after Hurricane
Joaquin had passed through the Bahamas. They found an additional14
Silver Boas despite the hurricane damage and loss of vegetation.
These animals were measured and sampled,as well as permanently marked
with internal electronic tags so that they will be easily identifiable.
"The
discovery of this new species is very exciting,” said BNT Executive
Director Eric Carey. “However,as a new species living on a single small
island it is extremely vulnerable to natural threats such as
hurricanes, predation by wildcats and rats, as well as changes in
habitat due to invasive plants. The BNT is working with Dr. Reynolds and
other scientists to develop a management plan for our newest
endemic reptile."
The research expeditions were funded by the
Museum of Comparative Zoology through the Putnam Expedition grants and
the Barbour Fund.
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