A team of researchers from several national and international institutions, including biologist Elson Meneses Pelayo, a PhD student at the Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS), described five new species of land snakes of the Atractus genus, distributed throughout the northeastern Andes of Colombia. This work is considered a significant advance in the knowledge of herpetological biodiversity.
The taxonomic revision of these new snakes was possible thanks to an exhaustive research developed in the areas of the northeastern Andes of Colombia, the Serranía del Perijá and the Cordillera de Mérida in Venezuela. This finding not only represents an important advance in the understanding of the herpetological diversity of the region, but also highlights the need to conserve the mountain ecosystems that harbor these species.
Through a rigorous analysis of 29 species names of this genus, the researchers evaluated their taxonomic position through the congruence of phenotypic characters, such as folidosis, morphometrics, color patterns, and osteological characteristics. The findings support the recognition of a total of 23 species in this region, of which six are new to science, five of them described in this study. These new species were identified due to unique diagnostic characteristics or exclusive combinations thereof.
The results of this study were published in the international journal South American Journal of Herpetology. See link : https://doi.org/10.2994/SAJH-D-23-00022.1
The study not only contains descriptions of the new species, but also presents a dichotomous key that will facilitate the identification of all species recognized in the study area. In addition, important implications on species taxonomy along political boundaries and the need for critical examination of specimens are discussed, in order to objectively establish and recognize the real diversity of species regardless of political boundaries.
According to the researchers, this finding highlights the relevance of taxonomic research for biodiversity conservation and underscores the need to focus efforts on poorly studied geographic areas. This is especially important in a country like Colombia, recognized for its great diversity of environments and regions that still require further exploration and study.
New species of the Atractus genus for science
The five new species described in this research work correspond to snake populations distributed in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, covering the departments of Boyacá, Santander, Norte de Santander, Cesar and La Guajira.
The first species, Atractus dativus, is known only from one locality in Boyacá, located between the municipalities of Soatá and Susacón. Its name, dativus, is a Latin adjective that alludes to the act of providing or offering something to someone. This term refers to the popular Colombian expression “God will provide”.
The second species, Atractus muisca, is found mainly in the department of Santander, in municipalities such as Floridablanca, Málaga, Charalá and Encino, on the border with Boyacá. Its name, Muisca, pays homage to the pre-Columbian civilization that inhabited the highlands of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. The Muiscas were a remarkable example of an egalitarian and sustainable society. Their caciques, wise administrators, implemented a system of social redistribution that complemented economic exchange. Through tribute, they retained productive surpluses and redistributed a part among the population through a common consumption fund.
The third species, Atractus pearti, inhabits the middle and highlands of the Serranía del Perijá, between the departments of Cesar and La Guajira. Its name pays homage to Neil Peart (1952-2020), iconic drummer and lyricist of the progressive rock band Rush.
The fourth species, Atractus tritono, is a species found in the municipalities of Chitagá, Pamplona and Toledo, Norte de Santander, at altitudes between 1700 and 2500 meters above sea level. The name of this species “tritone” refers to an interval between peaks of two musical notes that has exactly three whole tones.
The fifth and last species, Atractus uroborus, inhabits only the highlands of the Serranía de los Yariguíes between the municipalities of Zapatoca and El Carmen de Chucurí. The name of this species corresponds to an ancient symbol that shows a snake biting its tail, a symbol used in Greek mythology and Egyptian culture. The uroborus is often interpreted as eternal renewal of the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
This work highlights the crucial role of scientific research in protecting and understanding biodiversity in one of the most diverse areas of the planet.
