A rhapsody of colours from Madagascar: discovery of a remarkable new snake of the genus Liophidium and its phylogenetic relationships.

The article discusses a study on the snake species called Liophidium pattoni sp. n., particularly on its phylogenetic relationships. It says that the snake species is regarded to have a unique colour pattern as compared with other snakes found in Madagascar. The study also included snake samples from the Malagasy pseudoxyrhophiine genera aside from the ones representing the genus Liophidium. It states that the scientific methods used include polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), parsimony analysis, and Bayesian phylogeny inference. Results reveal that L. pattoni has several meristic characteristics comparable to L. torquatum inducing scale counts, neck band, and transversal spot lines on the venter.