Apologies if this disturbs your meal, but as far as snakes go, this one lacks charm.
Images: Novel Snake Species Found in Brazil Bears Resemblance to Male Anatomy – Information Nigeria
The distinct creature, named Atretochoana eiselti, was uncovered following the drainage of a hydroelectric dam that spans a river linked to the Amazon.
Biologists stumbled upon six of these peculiar-looking beings, each approximately a meter in length, at the riverbed of the Madeira River in Rondonia, Brazil.
This visually unappealing blind snake carries intriguing significance for scientists, as they believe it shares close ties with salamanders and frogs.
Atretochoana eiselti, blind and spotted near the mouth of the Amazon River, thrives in warm, swiftly flowing waters.
While these creatures were initially identified in November, it wasn’t until today that scientists properly classified the snake’s genus – confirming its rarity, having been sporadically observed since its first sighting in 1968.
Despite its snake-like appearance, it’s more closely related to salamanders and frogs.
Biologist Julian Tupan, affiliated with Santo Antonio Energy – the company responsible for constructing the dam – stated, “Of the six we collected, one perished, three were released back into the wild, and two were retained for further study. Despite their snake-like appearance, they aren’t reptiles and share a closer kinship with salamanders and frogs.”
The Biological Enigma: What Do You See in the Image?
Initially discovered in South America in 1968, this species was recently found on the Mosquiro island.
Mr. Tupan elaborated, “We hypothesize that the creature breathes through its skin and likely sustains itself on small fish and worms, though nothing has been conclusively proven. The Amazon continually unveils surprises in the realm of reptiles and amphibians; much more remains to be discovered.”
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