34-inch-long creature with a 'mustache' turns out to be a new species

A slender green snake remained mislabeled in a Brazilian collection for years before scientists realized they had discovered a new species.

Researchers formally described the species in January 2025 after a reassessment of its features and genetics, and they placed it within the parrot snake genus, Leptophis.

What first grabbed attention was a bold black stripe across the snout that resembled a mustache. That facial marker, paired with other traits, separated the animal from look-alikes that roam the same Cerrado, a vast tropical savanna in central Brazil.

This work was led by Diego Santana at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), together with colleagues who analyzed museum material and recent vouchers.

The experts report a long, dark postocular stripe trailing behind the eye and a specific pattern of green side stripes split by a pale vertebral line. The scale and tooth counts, in combination, do not match other parrot snakes in the region.

Brazil’s savanna under pressure

Biogeographers have called the Cerrado the most biodiverse savanna on Earth. It earned this status through its extraordinary mix of plants and animals and its size, roughly 720,000 square miles.

Decades of conversion to soy fields and cattle pasture have already stripped away about half of its native vegetation. Projections warn of more losses without stronger safeguards.

The trend has not reversed lately either, with Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research reporting a 45 percent jump in Cerrado deforestation in 2023 compared with 2022. 

Why Leptophis snakes deserve attention

The authors used taxonomy, an approach that tests a hypothesis of species status using multiple lines of evidence, including morphology, measurements, and DNA.

They sequenced DNA from the 16S gene, a common marker in herpetology when reference data for other genes are limited. The team then compared the sequences with related snakes to assess genetic divergence and relationships.

“We initially thought this was a known species, but when we examined its DNA and morphology, we realized it was something new,” said Santana.

Discoveries like this highlight why snakes are worth close attention. Sitting in the middle of food webs, they help regulate small vertebrates and other prey. This service can stabilize ecosystems and, in farming regions, reduce pressure from pest species.

When predators decline, the effects ripple, and recovering those balances is harder than keeping them intact in the first place.

Local knowledge and connections

Beyond ecological roles, snakes in the Cerrado also intersect with local culture and rural traditions.

Communities often carry folklore about snakes, sometimes leading to fear and persecution. In other areas, people respect them as protectors of crops because they keep rodent populations down.

The researchers note that involving local residents in monitoring programs and conservation projects can be crucial.

Knowledge from farmers, Indigenous groups, and community members helps scientists locate hard-to-find species and builds public support for keeping habitats intact.

Protecting Leptophis snakes

Brazil’s legal framework protects a higher share of private land in the Amazon than in savanna regions. As a result, large areas of the Cerrado remain legally open to conversion on private properties under current rules.

That policy gap matters for species that depend on forested enclaves within the savanna mosaic. These habitats are scattered and, once cleared, take time to return.

In this context, naming and classifying new species becomes more than an academic exercise – it is central to protecting biodiversity under pressure.

Leptophis is a widespread Neotropical genus of slender, bright green snakes, but its taxonomy remains in flux as researchers continue to parse cryptic diversity with museum work and new sequencing.

Naming a species does more than provide a label – it lays the foundation for evaluating conservation status, tracking range limits, and ensuring that protections target the right populations.

Snake species discovery fuels protection

Each vetted species from the Cerrado adds resolution to a picture that has long been blurry. Sampling efforts have historically focused on the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest.

As herpetologists revisit old collections and fill gaps with targeted surveys, the list of unique snakes, lizards, and frogs from this savanna keeps growing. These discoveries continue to surprise even seasoned field biologists.

The researchers need more fieldwork to estimate populations, map distributions in Tocantins and Minas Gerais, and test habitat connectivity.

Those data inform practical choices, like where to place conservation easements, how to steer soy expansion toward already cleared lands, and how to align private incentives with biodiversity goals.

The study is published in the journal PeerJ.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–