In a significant scientific breakthrough, a team of researchers from Mizoram, working with scientists from Russia, Germany and Vietnam, has identified a new species of reed snake from the state. This discovery corrects a decades-old taxonomic error and adds a previously undocumented species to India’s reptile diversity. The new species has been officially named Calamaria Mizoramensis, honouring the state where it was found. HT Lalremsanga, professor of zoology at Mizoram University and leader of the research team, said the findings were published on Monday in the international journal Zootaxa. The conclusion was based on detailed morphological studies supported by DNA analysis.
Specimens misidentified for years
Lalremsanga explained that the first specimens were collected in 2008, but were mistakenly grouped under a common Southeast Asian species. The new research now confirms that the snakes found in Mizoram form a distinct evolutionary lineage found nowhere else so far.
Decade-long survey across multiple districts
The team examined specimens collected over more than a decade from forest areas in Aizawl, Reiek, Sihphir, Sawlêng and parts of Mamit and Kolasib districts. Genetic comparisons revealed that the species differs by over 15 per cent from its nearest relatives -- a variation considered sufficient for recognising a new species.
Unique to Mizoram
The species has been confirmed only in Mizoram so far. However, the study notes that its presence in neighbouring states like Manipur, Nagaland and Assam cannot be ruled out. A possible extension into Bangladesh’s Chittagong region may also require further verification.
Small, secretive and non-venomous
The genus Calamaria includes 69 species worldwide, most of which are small, elusive and poorly understood. The newly identified snake is non-venomous and harmless to humans. It is nocturnal and semi-fossorial, preferring humid hill forests at altitudes between 670 and 1,295 metres. It has even been recorded near human settlements such as the Mizoram University campus. Based on current data, researchers have placed the species under the "Least Concern" category in the IUCN Red List due to its presence in several locations and the absence of major threats.
Updated checklist of Mizoram's herpetofauna
The study also presents an updated checklist of Mizoram’s amphibians and reptiles, recording 169 species which include 52 amphibians and 117 reptiles. The researchers emphasised that the discovery underscores the need for continued biological exploration in the forests of Northeast India.
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