New nocturnal snake from New Guinea named after Slash of Guns N’ Roses
Scientists have identified a new-to-science, reddish-brown snake from specimens found in the forests of Papua New Guinea and named it after Slash, the lead guitarist of the rock band Guns N’ Roses. Slash’s groundsnake (Lielaphis slashi) is the twentieth species to be confirmed within the genus Lielaphis, a group of groundsnakes found primarily on the […]
Scientists have discovered a new species of snake in the forests of Papua New Guinea, which they have named after Slash, the lead guitarist of the rock band Guns N’ Roses. The snake, known as Lielaphis slashi, is the twentieth species within the genus Lielaphis, a group primarily found on the island of New Guinea, which is split between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
The name "Slash" honors the musician Saul Hudson for his advocacy of snakes, zoos, and museums. Slash expressed his excitement and honor at having the snake named after him in a press release. The snake has a reddish-brown, unpatterned back and a white or cream-colored underside. Co-author Christopher Austin, a professor and curator at Louisiana State University, first discovered the snake in a secondary forest in Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea, in July 2006. Austin noted the difficulty in finding snakes, especially nocturnal ones, in the region.
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