A team of scientists from Mizoram, in collaboration with researchers from Russia, Germany, and Vietnam, has identified a new species of reed snake, Calamaria mizoramensis, correcting a taxonomic misidentification and adding to India’s reptile fauna. The species, named after Mizoram, was revealed through morphological examinations and DNA analysis published in Zootaxa. Previously collected specimens were mistaken for a widely distributed Southeast Asian species. The study demonstrates that the Mizoram population represents a unique evolutionary lineage, with genetic divergence of over 15% from its closest relatives. Confirmed only in Mizoram, its presence in other regions remains uncertain. The non-venomous, nocturnal snake inhabits humid forested areas at elevations of 670 to 1,295 meters and has been spotted near human habitats. It is provisionally assessed as ‘Least Concern’ under IUCN criteria, and the study includes an updated checklist of 169 herpetofaunal species in Mizoram, emphasizing the need for further biological surveys and taxonomic research in Northeast India.
