New snake species Calamaria mizoramensis discovered in Mizoram

Aizawl, Jan 6: A team of scientists from Mizoram, working in collaboration with researchers from Russia, Germany and Vietnam, has identified a new species of reed snake from the state, correcting a long-standing taxonomic misidentification and adding a previously unknown species to India’s reptile fauna.

The new species has been named Calamaria mizoramensis, after the state where it was discovered, said HT Lalremsanga, professor at the Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, and lead author of the study.

The findings, published on Monday in the international scientific journal Zootaxa, are based on detailed morphological examinations and DNA analysis. Lalremsanga said specimens of the snake were first collected in Mizoram in 2008 but were earlier considered part of a widely distributed Southeast Asian species.

“The new study establishes that the Mizoram population represents a distinct evolutionary lineage unique to the state,” he said.

The research team analysed specimens collected over more than a decade from forested areas in and around Aizawl, Reiek, Sihphir and Sawlêng, as well as parts of Mamit and Kolasib districts. Genetic comparisons revealed that the Mizoram reed snake differs by over 15 per cent from its closest known relatives, a level of divergence considered sufficient to recognise a new species.

The species has so far been confirmed only from Mizoram, though its presence in neighbouring regions cannot be ruled out. “Its occurrence in other parts of India remains unverified, but it is likely to be present in adjoining states such as Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. A possible extension into the Chittagong region of Bangladesh also requires further confirmation,” the study noted.

The genus Calamaria includes 69 recognised species globally. The newly identified snake is non-venomous, nocturnal and semi-fossorial, inhabiting humid forested hill areas at elevations between 670 and 1,295 metres, including locations close to human settlements such as the Mizoram University campus.

Based on current data, the researchers have tentatively assessed the species as ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN Red List criteria. The study also presents an updated checklist of Mizoram’s herpetofauna, documenting 169 species, and underscores the need for continued biological surveys in Northeast India.

PTI