The 40-cm (16-inch) serpent was first spotted in the Otishi National Park rainforest highlands in the Peruvian Andes in May 2022, according to San Marcos National University. But it wasn't until recently that scientists came to the conclusion that it was indeed an unknown species.
The snake is a yellowish-brown color with black patches, a black belly, and copper eyes. The snake has been named after the famed Indiana Jones actor Harrison Ford; the species' scientific name is Tachymenoides harrisonfordi.
A team led by the US-German scientist Edgar Lehr initially discovered the snake. Harrison Ford's involvement in environmental concerns led to the change in moniker, Lehr told AFP from Illinois.
Lehr said, referring to an NGO, "I discovered that Harrison Ford consented to have his name used via a consultation that Conservation International made."
According to Lehr, the snake was found in a place that could only be reached by helicopter and that scientists searched for it for seven days. He stated that the snake is not dangerous to humans; toads and lizards are among its preferred prey.
Lehr oversaw a group of scientists from Illinois Wesleyan University, Florida International University, and San Marcos National University. A paper on the finding of the snake was published in Salamandra, the German Journal of Herpetology, on Tuesday.