Jaipur, A snake species known as the Sistan sand boa has been scientifically recorded in India for the first time after researchers found three of them in Rajasthan’s Sikar district.
“We knew that this snake was different, but we did not rush to publish a research paper. Their study was published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa on May 26 this year.
We first decided to understand and study it properly,” Khandal said. Researchers said the finding in Sikar indicates that the snake may also live in farms, orchards and areas close to human settlements rather than only in sand dunes.
The Sistan sand boa’s tail gradually becomes thinner and ends in a pointed tip. The Sistan sand boa was recognised as a separate species following a taxonomic study published in Iran in 2020 using morphological and genetic evidence.
The red sand boa’s tail remains thick for much of its length before narrowing towards the end, according to the study.
