New snake species named after Harrison Ford

New snake species named after Harrison Ford

Updated 06:39 | Published at 06:36

full screenHarrison Ford or harrisonfordi? Photo: Scott Garfitt/AP/TT

Actor Harrison Ford is popular in nature circles. So popular that he now has a brand new species of snake named after him – harrison fordi.

Discovered last May in the jungle by the mountains of Otishi National Park, the squirming name is 40 centimeters long.

Unlike the actor, Tachymenoides harrisonfordi, which is the snake’s full name, is yellowish-brown with black spots, a black belly, and copper-colored eyes.

The snake was discovered by a research team from San Marcos National University, Florida International University and Illinois Wesleyan University, led by German biologist Edgar Lehr, who says he chose to name it after Ford because he wanted to honor the actor’s support in environmental work.

Harrisonfordi was found in an area that can only be reached by helicopter and it took Lehr seven days to find it.

The snake should not be dangerous to humans but be an excellent hunter of lizards and toads.

Original Ford reportedly has no objection to sharing a name with a reptile.

The discovery has been published in the scientific German herpetology journal Salamandra.

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