New Himalayan Snake Species Discovered, Bears DiCaprio name

A new snake species, 'Anguiculus dicaprioi', was discovered in the western Himalayas during the COVID-19 lockdown. This small, brown-colored snake belongs to the Colubridae family and is found at elevations above 1,500 meters.

Discovery and Classification

New snake species discovered in western Himalayas during 2020 COVID-19 lockdown
Named 'Anguiculus dicaprioi' (DiCaprio's Himalayan snake)
Classified under new genus 'Anguiculus' meaning 'small snake' in Latin
Belongs to Colubridae family, the largest snake family with 1,938 species
Found at elevations above 1,500 meters across Himalayas
Research published in Scientific Reports journal by international team

Physical Characteristics and Habitat

Small-sized snake measuring around 22 inches
Brown-colored with broad collar featuring small dark brown spots
Robust skull with steeply domed snout
Non-aggressive nature; remains motionless when approached
Active primarily from late May to August

Distribution across:

- Himachal Pradesh (Chamba, Kullu, Shimla)
- Uttarakhand (Nainital)
- Nepal (Chitwan National Park)

Research Significance and Conservation Impact

First spotted by Virender Bhardwaj in his backyard during pandemic
Three-year investigation involving researchers from India, Germany, and UK
Resolved 180-year-old taxonomic confusion regarding Liopeltis and Gongylosoma genera
Named after Leonardo DiCaprio to honor his environmental contributions:
- Active involvement in climate change awareness
- Support for biodiversity conservation
- Funding for field conservation activities
- Advocacy for addressing pollution-related health issues
Discovery highlights underexplored biodiversity in western Himalayas
Second species identified: 'Anguiculus rappii' found in Sikkim, Bhutan, and Arunachal Pradesh
Research indicates need for more comprehensive herpetofauna documentation in the region

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