New 'Mustache' Parrot Snake Species Identified After 9 Years in Brazil

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A new parrot snake species with a distinctive black "mustache" stripe was hiding in plain sight for nine years in a Brazilian scientific collection.

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Scientists named it Leptophis mystacinus after realizing its unique DNA and morphology set it apart from similar bright green and yellow snakes.

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The nonvenomous, tree-dwelling snake grows up to 86 centimeters long and hunts small lizards and birds in the threatened Cerrado savanna.

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Unlike the Amazon, Brazil's biodiverse Cerrado lacks strong legal protections, with over half its native vegetation already lost to agriculture.

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The snake depends on specific forest formations that are already rare," warned biologist Diego Santana, noting its habitat faces rapid destruction.

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As predators of small vertebrates, these snakes maintain ecological balance and are often the first species impacted when ecosystems are destroyed.

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The Cerrado's transition zones bordering other major biomes harbor unique biodiversity that may disappear before being documented.

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Scientists continue finding new Cerrado species yearly, including a white-flowered tree and two endangered "everlasting flower" species in 2024.

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Defining a new species is fundamental to assembling the puzzle of biodiversity," Santana explained, helping scientists understand the biome's evolution.

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