New snake species named after Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash

A newly discovered nonvenomous snake species from the forests of New Guinea has been named in honor of Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, recognizing the musician's lifelong passion for reptiles. The snake, scientifically designated Lielaphis slashi and commonly called Slash's groundsnake, was identified by a team of researchers led by scientists from the Field Museum in Chicago.

Slash, 61, expressed his gratitude in a statement, saying, "As a longtime herpephile, I am extremely honoured and humbled to have Lielaphis slashi from New Guinea named after me. It is really exciting, I never would have imagined this moment would arrive." The musician's well-known affinity for serpents includes forming the rock supergroup Slash's Snakepit in 1994 and naming his touring blues festival the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival.

The discovery was particularly meaningful for Sara Ruane, the Field Museum's Associate Curator of Herpetology and senior author of the study published in the journal Zootaxa. Ruane recalled seeing a young Slash on the cover of Reptiles Magazine holding a pet python. "I reread his interview, and he talked about how much he loves museums and zoos and natural history, and about how...