The recent scientific description of Rhinophis siruvaniensis, a new species of burrowing shieldtail snake from the Western Ghats, highlights how India’s biodiversity continues to reveal itself in unexpected places — even working plantations. The discovery also raises larger questions about conservation gaps, citizen science, and how climate change may affect poorly understood subterranean species.
A chance discovery on a Kerala farm
The story of Rhinophis siruvaniensis began not in a protected forest, but on a coffee plantation in Jellipara village of Palakkad district, Kerala. In 2015, tourist guide Basil P. Das encountered an unfamiliar small snake while tilling soil with his father. Unable to identify it, the specimen eventually reached the Shieldtail Mapping Project (SMP), a citizen science initiative documenting shieldtail snakes.
A decade later, researchers confirmed that the snake represented a previously unknown species. The formal description, published in Evolutionary Systematics in October 2025, was based on three specimens collected from the Siruvani Hills spanning Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
What makes this snake a distinct species?
The new species was identified using a combination of classical taxonomy and modern genetics. Researchers documented distinctive scale counts, colour patterns, and tail structure — notably a dome-shaped tail tip typical of shieldtails.
Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA revealed a 2–4% divergence from its closest relative, Rhinophis melanoleucus, a species described from Wayanad in 2020. Together, these differences were considered sufficient to justify recognition as a separate species, though scientists acknowledge that nuclear DNA analysis would strengthen the conclusion.
Understanding shieldtail snakes and their range
Shieldtail snakes belong to the family Uropeltidae. They are small, non-venomous, fossorial (burrowing) snakes adapted to life underground, with specialised skulls and diets. Globally, they are restricted to India and Sri Lanka.
Key facts about shieldtails:
- 73 known species across India and Sri Lanka
- The genus Rhinophis has 26 species
- It is the only shieldtail genus found in both India and Sri Lanka
- India hosts six Rhinophis species so far
Most earlier research focused on high-elevation forests and protected areas of the Western Ghats. The discovery of R. siruvaniensis in plantations challenges this assumption.
Why finding it outside forests matters
The presence of a new species in monoculture coffee and spice plantations suggests that significant biodiversity exists outside formally protected landscapes. This has two implications.
First, land-use areas such as plantations may unknowingly host rare or endemic species. Second, these species may face higher risks from soil disturbance, chemical use, and habitat modification.
Local farmers, interestingly, were already familiar with the snake’s seasonal appearances — a reminder that traditional ecological knowledge often precedes formal science.
Scientific debates and methodological limits
While the study follows accepted herpetological methods, experts have flagged certain limitations. The genetic analysis relied solely on mitochondrial DNA, which reflects only maternal inheritance and may not capture full evolutionary history.
Concerns raised include:
- Small sample size (three specimens)
- Absence of nuclear DNA data
- Risk of overestimating species differences using mitochondrial markers alone
Researchers cite funding constraints but note emerging techniques like low-coverage genome sequencing that could offer more robust results at lower cost.
Conservation concerns in a warming climate
Burrowing snakes are highly specialised for specific soil and microclimatic conditions. Past research on shieldtails indicates that climatic fluctuations have historically led to higher extinction rates in this group.
The Siruvani Hills have recently yielded several new reptile and amphibian species, underscoring the area’s ecological importance. Since R. siruvaniensis occurs outside protected areas, conserving remnant forest patches and regulating land-use practices becomes critical.
Climate change, combined with habitat alteration, could disproportionately affect such underground specialists.
Citizen science and future research directions
The Shieldtail Mapping Project has demonstrated the power of citizen participation, collecting over 1,200 shieldtail records — far exceeding what individual researchers achieved earlier.
Future priorities include:
- Sequencing nuclear DNA of shieldtail species
- Comparative analysis of skull morphology using micro-CT scanning
- Expanding awareness among farmers and plantation workers
- Making biodiversity data openly accessible to researchers
Together, these efforts aim to bridge gaps between local knowledge, scientific research, and conservation planning.
What to note for Prelims?
- *Rhinophis siruvaniensis* is a new species of shieldtail snake from the Western Ghats
- Family: Uropeltidae; Genus: Rhinophis
- Shieldtails are non-venomous, burrowing snakes
- Genus Rhinophis occurs in both India and Sri Lanka
- Discovered in plantations, not protected forests
What to note for Mains?
- Role of citizen science in biodiversity discovery and conservation
- Challenges of conserving species outside protected areas
- Limitations of mitochondrial DNA in taxonomy
- Impact of climate change on specialised, fossorial species
- Importance of integrating traditional ecological knowledge with modern science
