Naja peroescobari
| Naja peroescobari | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Naja |
| Species: | N. peroescobari |
| Binomial name | |
| Naja peroescobari Ceríaco, Marques, Schmitz & Bauer, 2017 | |
Naja peroescobari is a species of snakes in the family Elapidae.[1] It was previously considered as a forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) introduced by the Portuguese to limit proliferations by rats. The species are endemic to the island of São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe.[2] It was first found in the area of Praia Inhame, southwest of Porto Alegre, a beach rarely used by tourists, it is not far from the island's southernmost point and the equator. The species were named by Luis M. P. Ceríaco, Mariana P. Marques, Andreas Schmitz and Aaron Matthew Bauer. The ecology of the snake is little known, current data shows suggest they were predators introduced to the island instead of rafting from the Congo River (partial) or arrived as sea snakes (mostly).
The species was named after the Portuguese explorer Pero Escobar who explored the island in 1471.[2]
Naja peroescobari are one of the few predators that faces terrestrial mammals such as the black rat (rattus rattus) and the weasel (Mustela nivalis).[2]
References
- ↑ "ATS, "Le cobra noir de l'île de Sao Tomé n'a pas été importé par l'homme"" [Black Cobra of São Tomé Island Has Never Been Introduced by Humans] (in French). ArcINfo. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-21.
- 1 2 3 Ceríaco, Marques, Schmitz & Bauer (2017)
Further reading
- Luis M. P. Ceríaco, Mariana P. Marques, Andreas Schmitz et Aaron M. Bauer, « The “Cobra-preta” of São Tomé Island, Gulf of Guinea, is a new species of Naja Laurenti, 1768 (Squamata: Elapidae) », Zootaxa, vol. 4324, no 1, 2017, p. 121
- Sean Mowbray, "‘Invasive’ snake is really a new species and should be protected", New Scientist, September 27, 2017