Blue snake among new species discovered in Cambodia's caves
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- Published
A spectacular blue snake is one of 11 new species that has been discovered in caves in Cambodia.
The turquoise pit viper was collected during a large survey of the unique caves that make up the landscape in western Cambodia.
While its official name has not been decided, the "pit" refers to the heat-sensitive organ on its head, which it uses to detect prey.
The survey team, led by the wildlife conservation charity Fauna & Flora, explored more than 60 caves across 10 hills in Battambang province, western Cambodia.
They also discovered other species that are new to science, including a flying snake, several geckos, two micro-snails and two millipedes.
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The caves are located in Cambodia's karst landscapes, which are made up of rock that can dissolve in acidic water. As the rock dissolves, unique landscapes of sinkholes, caves and underground rivers are formed.
They make up about 9% of Cambodia's land area, a large portion of which is still unknown to science the report says.
This means there could be plenty more colourful lizards and snakes waiting to be discovered.
Threatened species, including the Sunda pangolin, green peafowl, long-tailed macaque and northern pig-tailed macaque, were also found.