‘Parrot green’ creature — with black mustache — discovered in Brazil. See new species
What do Charlie Chaplin, Tom Selleck, Hulk Hogan and Sam Elliott have in common?
While they may all be famous in their own right for their independent projects, they are brought together by their most recognizable feature: mustaches.
From Chaplin’s toothbrush mustache to Hogan’s handlebar, these men have become synonymous with their fluffy accessory.
Now, the discovery of a creature in the grasslands of central Brazil adds another member to the mustachioed club — through a new species of snake.
Leptophis mystacinus, or the mustache parrot snake, was discovered in the Cerrado, a massive savanna of mixed grasslands, shrublands, rocky outcrops and forests known for its biodiversity, according to a study published Jan. 30 in the peer-reviewed journal PeerJ.
“The specific name (of the new species) is derived from the Greek mystax, meaning ‘upper lip’ or ‘mustache,’ and the latin suffix -inus, denoting ‘likeness’ or ‘belonging to,’” according to the study. “The black pigmentation covering the rostral scale of Leptophis mystacinus is distinct in most individuals, giving the appearance of a mustache.”
The mustache parrot snake has a cylindrical body but with a flattened belly, researchers said, and an elongated neck and head distinct from the rest of its body.
The holotype, or specimen used to describe the species, was a female about 1.5 feet long, according to the study. Other snakes of the species, however, reached greater lengths.
The largest male found by researchers was 2 feet, 5 inches long, and the largest female was 2 feet, 10 inches long, dwarfing the holotype animal, according to the study.
The snake is “parrot green” in color on its back, with a thick black line down the side of its face fading into its body, researchers said.
Below the black line is yellowish color fading to white, photos show.
A female mustache parrot snake was found with “four well-developed eggs,” one of which measured 1.2 inches long, according to the study.
Males of the species have a hemipenis, inverted genitalia housed in the body but expressed for reproduction, that is covered with little spines, researchers said.
The new species lives in the Cerrado, home to 5% of all of the planet’s animals and plants, and a region with biodiversity that rivals the Amazon rainforest, also in Brazil, but receives much less attention, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
The region has been at risk following decades of agricultural expansion in central Brazil, threatening the wildlife that calls the savannah home, the WWF says.
The research team includes Nelson R. Albuquerque, Roullien H. Martins, Priscila S. Carvalho, Donald B. Shepard and Diego J. Santana.
This story was originally published February 4, 2025 at 10:35 AM with the headline "‘Parrot green’ creature — with black mustache — discovered in Brazil. See new species."
