Himalayan Snake Species Named After Leonardo DiCaprio

By: EjazUlHaqBhat

Image: X/@LeoDiCaprio

A new snake species, discovered by a team of researchers in western Himalayas, has been named after Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio

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The snake has been named after the Oscar-winning actor to honour his contribution towards conservation

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The newly described snake species, 'Anguiculus dicaprioi', is found in regions from central Nepal to Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh

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'Anguiculus rappii' can also be found in Sikkim, Bhutan, and Arunachal Pradesh

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These snakes are mostly active from late May to August, and are not found at other times of the year

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'Anguiculus rappii' is rare and has not been recorded in the last couple of decades

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The snake was first found by Virender Bhardwaj in the backyard of his home in the western Himalayas during the COVID-19 lockdown

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The discovery and the study of the new species was published on Monday in Scientific Reports, a peer-reviewed journal

Image: File

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