New Guinea Snake Named After Guns N' Roses' Slash

A biology professor helped discover a new snake species and named it after a rock icon who loves reptiles as much as he loves riffs.

Justin Bernstein, an assistant professor at Slippery Rock University, teamed up with researchers from seven institutions to identify Lielaphis slashi. The 28-inch reddish-brown snake lives in New Guinea's forests and carries the name of Guns N' Roses guitarist Saul "Slash" Hudson.

The choice wasn't random. Slash has championed zoos, natural history museums, and especially reptile conservation throughout his career, making him the perfect namesake for a newly discovered serpent.

"As we've grown up, a lot of us on the team have been impacted heavily throughout our lives by Guns N' Roses," Bernstein said. "We wanted to name this snake after Slash, who is a big advocate for zoos, natural history and especially for reptiles."

Bernstein started work on the project as a postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and completed it after joining Slippery Rock's faculty this year. He collaborated with colleagues from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Louisiana State University, and institutions in Papua New Guinea and Kentucky.

Why This Inspires

Beyond the rock star connection, this discovery tackles a serious problem. We can't protect species we don't know exist.

"We can't conserve what we don't know, so it's important for us to recognize how to identify these species," Bernstein explained. Understanding what's out there helps scientists figure out how creatures fit into their ecosystems and what they need to survive.

The team also saw an opportunity to change hearts and minds about snakes, animals that often get unfair treatment. By connecting the discovery to someone millions of people admire, they're inviting non-scientists to care about creatures they might otherwise fear.

"There's this aspect of discovery where you can raise awareness of the importance of organisms that aren't viewed in the best of lights, like snakes," Bernstein said.

He's bringing that same energy to his first semester teaching at Slippery Rock. His approach uses snakes to help students understand bigger concepts in ecology and evolution, showing them that famous lab animals aren't the only ones worth studying.

The discovery reminds us that our planet still holds secrets worth protecting, and sometimes the best way to protect them is to help people see their beauty.