Researchers from Mizoram University have discovered a new species of Smithophis snake in Mizoram to be the fifth of such species in the world. The discovery was made by Prof. H.T. Lalremsanga, a professor from the Zoology department of Mizoram University (MZU) and Dr. M. Vabeiryureilai, an assistant professor from the same university along with their colleagues from different parts of India and Germany. The new species was named ‘Smithophis mizoramensis’ after Mizoram where the species was found, Lalremsanga said. It is also called ‘Tuithiangrul’ in Mizo and ‘Mizo Brook Snake’ in English, he said. The new snake species was found while studying the taxonomic structure and DNA of the Smithophis snake from different parts of the state for many years, he said. The findings of the new research were published in Switzerland’s scientific journal called ‘Diversity’ on Thursday.
According to Lalremsanga, the newly discovered Smithophis species was the fifth of such species to have been discovered worldwide. Earlier, four Smithophis species have been discovered from India’s Northeast and south China. Of the five Smithophis species in the world, three – Smithophis atemporalis (2019), Smithophis bicolor and Smithophis mizoramensis were discovered from Mizoram, he said. The new Smithophis species were collected from different parts of Mizoram and they have been preserved for 15 years for research, he said.
He said that the study of the Smithophis mizoramensis species took a long time because it was very difficult to differentiate from other Smithophis species, he said. Lalremsanga said that the DNA of the Smithophis mizoramensis species was different from other Smithophis species by 10-14 per cent and its differences were also discovered in its scale and colour. The new species is distributed mainly at low to high elevation, streams and its surroundings in Mizoram, he said.
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