A newly discovered species of non-venomous snake found in the tropical forests of New Guinea has been officially named Lielaphis slashi in honour of Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, acknowledging his long-standing advocacy for reptile conservation and natural history institutions.
The species, commonly referred to as Slash’s groundsnake, was identified by an international team of researchers from institutions including the Field Museum in Chicago, the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science, and the Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery. Formal research detailing the discovery and classification of the reptile has been published in the scientific journal Zootaxa.
“As a long time herpephile, I am extremely honored and humbled to have Lielaphis slashi from New Guinea named after me,” Slash said in an official statement regarding the taxonomy designation. “It is really exciting, I never would have imagined this moment would arrive.”
The initiative to name the reptile after the guitarist came from Sara Ruane, Associate Curator of Herpetology at the Field Museum and senior author of the Zootaxa paper. Ruane highlighted Slash’s long-standing public interest in reptiles, noting a key moment in her youth when the musician featured on the cover of Reptiles Magazine alongside his pet reticulated python.
The physical specimen was first encountered during night fieldwork in New Guinea in 2006 by Chris Austin, professor and curator of herpetology at the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science. New Guinea, situated immediately north of Australia, holds vast tracts of unexplored tropical forest. Genetic analysis and morphological examination conducted by lead author Tianqi Huang later confirmed the specimen represented an entirely distinct species within the genus Lielaphis.
Measuring approximately 28 inches in length with a reddish-brown coloration, Lielaphis slashi is non-venomous and poses no danger to humans. Anatomical features suggest the nocturnal snake utilizes enlarged rear teeth to capture small, smooth-scaled lizards and reptile eggs rather than killing via constriction.
Beyond the musical connection, researchers highlighted the environmental necessity of classifying newly discovered fauna. The natural habitat of Lielaphis slashi faces ongoing degradation from industrial expansion, including mining operations and agricultural clearing for coffee farming. Documenting regional biodiversity remains a fundamental step in establishing formal environmental protections.
Slash has consistently integrated his passion for herpetology into his career, previously operating his side project Slash’s Snakepit and hosting the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival blues tour.
Taxonomic naming conventions regularly draw from the music industry to highlight species discoveries or raise ecological awareness. Australian fauna features prominently in this crossover, including Scaptia beyonceae, a rare horse fly species discovered in Queensland possessing a golden-haired abdomen named in honour of Beyoncé.
Other notable musician-inspired biological names include:
Heteropoda davidbowie – A bright yellow huntsman spider native to Southeast Asia, named after David Bowie in reference to his iconic facial paint styling.
Pachygnatha zappa – A spider species found in Cameroon featuring abdomen markings that mirror the moustache of Frank Zappa.
Dendropsophus ozzyi – A tiny tree frog from the Amazon basin named after Ozzy Osbourne due to its distinct, high-pitched bat-like vocalisation.
Aleiodes shakirae – A parasitic wasp named after Shakira due to the rhythmic abdominal movement it induces in host caterpillars.
Synalpheus pinkfloydi – A pistol shrimp with a bright pink claw capable of snapping shut to create acoustic pressure loud enough to stun prey, named after Pink Floyd.
Aphonopelma johnnycashi – A black tarantula species discovered near Folsom Prison in California, named after Johnny Cash.
Gaga – A genus of ferns native to Central and South America named after Lady Gaga, featuring a specific DNA sequence reading G-A-G-A.
Macrostylis metallicola – A deep-sea crustacean living in complete darkness on the Pacific seafloor, named after heavy metal band Metallica.
Cirolana mercuryi – A coral reef isopod found off Bawe Island, named after Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, who was born in Zanzibar.
Masiakasaurus knopfleri – A predatory dinosaur discovered while field researchers were listening to Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler.
Arcticalymene viciousi, rotteni, cooki, jonesi, & matlocki – A series of fossilised trilobites named collectively after members of The Sex Pistols.
Avalanchurus lennoni, starri, mccartneyi, & harrisoni – Prehistoric marine trilobites named after the four members of The Beatles.
Guns N’ Roses are scheduled to continue their live performance commitments throughout Australia and New Zealand during their 2026 tour.
Guns N’ Roses will bring their 2026 World Tour to Australia and New Zealand from November 29 to December 17, 2026, featuring special guest Airbourne.
Complete Tour Schedule
29 November: Adelaide, SA at the bp Adelaide Grand Final Sunday Concert
2 December: Townsville, QLD at Queensland Country Bank Stadium
5 December: Brisbane, QLD at Suncorp Stadium
8 December: Newcastle, NSW at McDonald Jones Stadium
11 December: Melbourne, VIC at Marvel Stadium
14 December: Sydney, NSW at Engie Stadium
17 December: Auckland, NZ at Eden Park Stadium
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