Slash honored as new snake species is named in New Guinea

A new species of terrestrial snake discovered in New Guinea has been named Lielaphis slashi in honor of Saul Hudson, the guitarist known as Slash from Guns N’ Roses. The formal description of the species was published in the scientific journal Zootaxa.

Researchers, including Sara Ruane of the Field Museum, chose the name to recognize Slash’s long-standing interest in herpetology and his support for museums and zoos. The snake is a medium-sized, non-venomous reptile with reddish-brown coloring on its back and a light underside. It typically reaches lengths of approximately 70 to 72 centimeters.

While the species was known to researchers for several years—with the first specimen collected in 2006—genetic and morphological analyses recently confirmed it as a distinct lineage within the Lielaphis genus. The snake is primarily found in low-altitude habitats in northeastern New Guinea.