Welcome to the jungle: New Guinea snake named after Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash
Scientists with the Field Museum in Chicago have named a newly identified, non-venomous groundsnake from New Guinea Lielaphis slashi, or Slash's groundsnake, in honour of Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash.
In a serpentine twist of fate, a new species of groundsnake has been named after Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, a noted herpetophile and reptile enthusiast. Led by associate curator of herpetology Sara Ruane at Chicago’s Field Museum, the discovery of Lielaphis slashi was recently announced in the scientific journal Zootaxa.
Ruane, inspired by Slash’s own admiration for museums and zoos, first read his 1995 interview with Reptiles magazine, which detailed his extensive reptile collection. This connection led her to propose the name L. slashi as a tribute to the rockstar’s love for snakes.
While the newly discovered Lielaphis slashi may appear similar to other snakes due to its reddish-brown coloring, genetic analyses and morphological observations confirmed its distinct identity. Measuring 28 inches, this elusive nocturnal groundsnake was first observed in the dense underbrush of a New Guinea forest, highlighting the challenges in studying such animals.
Though its appearance may bear resemblance to its namesake, L. slashi is likely threatened by human activities such as coffee farming and mining. Identifying and naming this new species is a crucial first step toward conservation efforts. Slash expressed his honor and excitement at being immortalized in the scientific world, stating that he never imagined he would be the namesake of a groundsnake species.
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