In a rare and a prestigious honour in the world of biological sciences, a newly discovered species of bronzeback snake has been named after one of Sri Lanka’s foremost herpetologists, Dr. A. A. Thasun ...

The snake also has “bright blue” skin in between its scales, which is only “visible when inflated.” A Dendrelaphis thasuni, or Thasun’s bronzeback, showing its inflated defense mechanism.

A common bronzeback snake or Dendrelaphis tristis, part of the same genus of snake as those newly discovered by Kraus, is seen here on branch in Gal Oya National Parks, Sri Lanka. Three other new ...