This New “Two-Headed” Snake Species Has a Tail that Looks Like Its Own Head
A new species of reed snake, Calamaria incredibilis, has been identified in southern China. This snake is notable for its tail, which resembles its head, leading locals to refer to it as the two-headed snake. The discovery highlights the hidden diversity of reptile species in the region, with the potential for more undiscovered species nearby.
- ▪Calamaria incredibilis was misidentified as a known species before being recognized as new.
- ▪The snake measures approximately 8 inches and has a distinctive coloration with dark stripes.
- ▪It was found in two locations over 311 miles apart, suggesting a wider distribution than previously recorded.
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New species get named after places, people, and physical traits. Rarely does one get named after the reaction it provoked. Meet Calamaria incredibilis, a newly described reed snake from southern China whose stubby, blunt-tipped tail so closely mimics its own head that locals have called it the two-headed snake. When researchers finally realized it was an entirely new species, they reached for the Latin word for "unbelievable."A study published in Zoosystematics and Evolution formally describes the species from just two specimens collected in Guangxi, China.
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