Discover new snake species in Kon Tum

The group of Vietnamese and French scientists, Germany has just announced a new chrysanthemum snakes belonging to Opisthotropis in Vietnam.

Opisthotropis cucae daisies.(Photo: Pham The Cuong)

Mr. Pham The Cuong, Vietnam Nature Museum, a member of the research team, said that this snake named Opisthotropis cucae, was discovered in Chu-Mon-Ray National Park, in Sa Thay district in Kontum province.

The name of the snake is named after the reptile and amphibian researcher Ho Thu Cuc, who has been collecting samples as well as making a major contribution to the study and publication of many amphibians and reptiles in Vietnam.

Identification characteristics of chrysanthemum snakes are: smooth back, arranged into 23 rows in the neck, 19 rows in the middle of the body; 191 abdominal scales; 1 cheek scales; 7 upper lip scales, 5th plate adjacent to the eye socket. Copper back is gray-brown, no stripes; yellowish belly.

This is the seventh serpent species recorded in Vietnam. The snake-daisy species works at night, living in rocky streams in evergreen forest at an altitude of 740m above sea level.

At the end of December 2010, Vietnamese and Russian scientists also rediscovered specimens of two very rare species of snakes in the area of ​​Hoang Lien Mountain, Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province. These are Oligodon lacroixi and the Maculophis bellus chapaensis Maculophis bellus chapaensis subspecies. According to the scientists' evaluation during the past 80 years, there have been no more records as well as specimens of these two snakes.