Slithering reptiles snakes have so many species and they inhabit on every continent of this planet, except for Antartica. In the roughly 3000 plus species that are said to exist on Earth, scientists have found a new venomous species in bandy-bandy snake family in Queensland, Australia. Bandy-bandy is a subspecies of burrowing snakes that are a native of Australia. This new species was discovered accidentally by a team of scientists who were researching sea snakes near Weipa. But scientists fear that the snake may already be near extinction. Albino Cobra Hatchling Rescued in Bengaluru, In a First A Two-Day Old Rare Snake Was Found.

Weipa is a mining town on the west coast of the state’s Cape York Peninsula. The team led by University of Queensland’s Associate Professor Bryan Fry was on a research mission of sea snake when they discovered the new species. The bandy-bandy snake family usually stay in burrows so they were surprised to find this slithering one on a concrete block near the sea. One of the teammates then examined the snake and it turned out to be a new species, very distinct from the ones that are a common sight on Australia's East Coast and the interiors. The new snake is about 30-40cm long and features thin white bands, and fatter black bands along its body. The new species has been formally named as Vermicella parscauda. The biologists have published their observations in the journal Zootaxa. 

The team on careful observation found another specimen nearby. They made a total of 6 observations in the same area. But given the environment they were found in, Prof Fry said the species could already be endangered. "Bauxite mining is a major economic activity in the region, and it may be reshaping the environment to the detriment of native plants and animals." He also said that a venom can be put to different uses, especially to develop new medications. Shocking Video of Giant Python Eating an Indonesian Woman Will Freak You Out: Disturbing Images of Human Body Found in Big Snake’s Belly.

If these species are only found in the mining area then they are definitely endangered. "It is very unique, relative to all of the other bandy bandies, and it reinforces how little we really know about our biodiversity and how much we might be losing through short-term economic activities," he emphasised. The team has formally applied to the Queensland government’s Department of Environment and Science to declare the snake a threatened species.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 18, 2018 04:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).