Leonardo DiCaprio Has a New Species of Snake With Numerous Teeth Named in His Honor
A never-before-seen reptile found in the Himalayas has been named after a popular Hollywood actor. The snake was detected in the western Himalayas by explorers during the summer of 2020, PEOPLE reported. After finding out that the snake was a newly discovered species, researchers named it after American actor and producer, Leonardo Dicaprio. The celebrity has been honored with this name because of his extensive work as an environmental activist.
(Image Source | Getty Images | Photo by Ronald Martinez)
Researchers were in the western Himalayas as part of a project centered around India's reptiles, the Miami Herald reported. During their work, the team observed several brown snakes on a dirt road and decided to analyze their DNA. The examination revealed that the snake was distinctly different from others of their kind. The team soon realized that they had a new species in their hand. Thereafter they named the snake Anguiculus dicaprioi, or DiCaprio’s Himalayan snake.
The snake has been categorized as "small-sized," with a maximum length of 22 inches, the Miami Herald reported. They have been described as having "short" heads with "large" nostrils, dozens of teeth, and a "steeply domed snout." The snake was light brown in color and carried a "faint" gray "collar"-like band around their neck.
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On being asked about their reasoning behind naming after the actor, the researchers cited his contribution in the area of environment preservation, Miami Herald reported. They stated that DiCaprio is "an American actor, film producer, and environmentalist who has been actively involved in creating awareness about global climate change (and) increased biodiversity loss.”
DiCaprio has always been committed to raising awareness about the environment through his influence, PEOPLE reported. "At a young age, I was very saddened by species that had become extinct by the result of man-made activity, and so that led me on a long sort of journey to get me involved in environmental issues," the actor said regarding his activism.