Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 17 November 2025
A team of scientists has discovered a completely new species of snake on Great Nicobar Island, one of the most remote and biologically rich parts of the Nicobar group. The snake, now officially named Lycodon irwini, is a striking glossy-black wolf snake that had remained unidentified for years because it closely resembles another widespread species. The new research finally confirms that the Great Nicobar population represents a distinct species currently known only from the island.
The discovery was made by researchers from Pondicherry University, the Max Planck Institute for Biology (Tübingen), and one unaffiliated coauthor from Pune. To confirm the species, the team used a combination of methods—carefully comparing the snake’s physical features, re-examining museum specimens, and conducting DNA analysis. Their genetic study revealed a clear distinction from related wolf snakes, establishing that the Great Nicobar snake is unique and not merely a local variation of a known species.
One of the most notable features of Lycodon irwini is its uniform glossy black colour, unlike close relatives that typically have white bands or patches. The snake is slender, nocturnal, and can grow close to 1.2 metres in length. The researchers also documented a higher number of belly and tail scales compared to similar species, helping confirm its identity as a new species. The holotype—an adult female—has the voucher number DOSMB 05114, providing a permanent reference specimen for future research.
So far, the species has been recorded only four times, all from the moist evergreen forests of Great Nicobar, including the holotype collected near Gandhi Nagar. Because it appears extremely rare and restricted to a very small geographical area, the authors recommend listing it as Endangered under IUCN criteria, although this is not yet an official assessment.
The species has been named “irwini” to honour the late Australian conservationist Steve Irwin, whose enthusiasm for wildlife inspired generations of scientists and nature lovers.
The discovery of Lycodon irwini underscores the exceptional biodiversity of Great Nicobar, where many species are found nowhere else on Earth.
Source: Naveen RS, Mirza ZA, Choure G, Chandramouli SR (2025) A ‘Crikey’ new snake: An insular Lycodon Fitzinger, 1826 (Squamata, Colubridae) from the Nicobar Archipelago, India. Evolutionary Systematics 9(2): 221–228. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.9.170645
