This species is currently known to exist only in Gengma County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province, China. The specimens for the study were found at night
Researchers have discovered and described a new species of snake from Yunnan Province in China. The snake, Pareas melanops sp. nov, is closely related to P. nigriceps and P. tigerinus but is morphologically and phylogenetically distinct from these and other congeners based on physical differences.
These include a snout to vent length of 352-472 mm, a single row of enlarged vertebral scales, dorsal scales keeled at mid body and in 1-7 rows, a dorsal head that is solid black with 62 to 69 black bars on the trunk, and 27 to 33 black bars on the tail. The snake’s iris is solid black, hence the name melanops, which means black and eye in Ancient Greek.
This species is currently known to exist only in Gengma County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province, China. The specimens for the study were found at night, in bushes and near streams that are surrounded by secondary forests. Its location is affected by agriculture as crops and fruit trees are planted, which may have adverse effects on the species. It is also found within the Yunnan Nangunhe National Nature Reserve, which contains large swaths of regional forest and is legally protected.
The researchers recommend the common English name Black-eyed slug-eating snake, and Pinyin: heī yǎn dùn tóu shé for the Chinese name.
The paper describing the new species “A new species of Pareas (Squamata: Pareidae) from southwestern Yunnan, China” can be found on the Zoologia website.
New Snail-eating Snake Of The Pareas Genus Discovered In China
