Researchers have discovered a new species of wolf snake on Great Nicobar Island in India, naming it Lycodon irwini in honor of the late conservationist Steve Irwin. The glossy black, non-venomous snake measures up to one meter and faces vulnerability due to its limited habitat. The finding highlights the underexplored biodiversity of the Andaman and Nicobar region.
A team of scientists, including R. S. Naveen and S. R. Chandramouli from Pondicherry University, Zeeshan A. Mirza from the Max Planck Institute for Biology, and Girish Choure from Pune, has described a previously unknown wolf snake species from the remote Great Nicobar Islands. Their research, published in the journal Evolutionary Systematics in 2025, details the snake's unique characteristics and proposes its formal name as Lycodon irwini.
The naming pays tribute to Stephen Robert Irwin, the Australian zookeeper, conservationist, and television personality who lived from 1962 to 2006. The researchers note in their paper: "His passion and dedication to wildlife education and conservation have inspired naturalists and conservationists worldwide, including the authors of the paper." Irwin's work focused on promoting appreciation for reptiles and other wildlife, aligning with the snake's overlooked status.
Irwin's wolf snake features a glossy black coloration and reaches lengths of about one meter. It is non-venomous and feeds on small vertebrates like reptiles, amphibians, and rodents. Observations suggest the species is confined to Great Nicobar Island, raising concerns about its survival. The authors recommend classifying it as Endangered due to risks from habitat loss and human activity in such isolated ecosystems.
This discovery underscores the ongoing exploration of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands' biodiversity. As the team states: "New species continue to be discovered, exemplified by Lycodon irwini, highlighting the ongoing progress in taxonomy and the incomplete understanding of herpetofaunal diversity and distribution in the region." The journal reference is: R. S. Naveen et al., Evolutionary Systematics, 2025; 9(2): 221, DOI: 10.3897/evolsyst.9.170645.