By Ifham Nizam

A group of Lankan research scientists have found three snake species that break their tails like geckos.A collaborative team of Sri Lankan research scientists, including Suranjan Karunarathna, Mahesh de Silva, Dushantha Kandambi, Anusha Atthanagoda, and Thilina Surasinghe, has unveiled a remarkable find in the animal kingdom.

Speaking to the Sunday Island, Suranjan Karunarathna highlighted the evolutionary significance of self-amputation of non-essential body parts as a defense mechanism, a trait observed across various animal groups, encompassing both vertebrates and invertebrates. The team’s observation of tail shedding in Colubridae and Viperidae snakes marks a novel occurrence, backed by photographic evidence from four separate incidents across Sri Lanka.

He said that three snake species were found to have shed their tails on four occasions in Sri Lanka. First, caudal pseudoautotomy of a Checkered Keelback (Fowlea unicolor) was observed in August 2018, at Dediyawala, Waskaduwa in the Kalutara District and in January 2021, at Anuragoda, Radawana in the Gampaha District.

Karunarathna said that they observed a Checkered Keelback demonstrating tail shedding in two different locations in 2018 and 2021, a Banded Keelback showcasing similar behaviour in 2014, and a Russell’s Viper observed in 2015. All three snake species experienced tail breakage of approximately one-third of their length when manually handled. The snakes promptly attempted escape post-tail detachment, occurring primarily during evening hours in the country’s southwestern wet zone.

This discovery represents the first recorded occurrence of caudal pseudoautotomy in Russell’s Viper (Daboia russelii) and the first documented instance in Fowlea asperrimus (Colubridae), marking an unprecedented scientific revelation.

While the researchers highlighted their careful handling protocols, ruling out direct injury as the cause of tail breakage, they emphasized the need for further investigation into the long-term implications of this behavior. Additionally, the team expressed gratitude to collaborators and authorities facilitating their research, acknowledging the support received from the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Forest Department.