DHAHRAN: Scientists working in the ancient oasis of AlUla in northwestern Saudi Arabia were thrilled to discover a new species of snake earlier this year. With its striking red hue and sleek black collar, the reptile is perfectly adapted to camouflage against the sand and rock of the Hejaz.
This charismatic new species, which is fortunately non-venomous, was discovered by Laszlo Patko, who has worked for the past two years as head of applied research at the Royal Commission for AlUla, inventorying the region's biodiversity.
“The snake species, Rhynchocalamus hejazicus, is not just new to the region or the country – it's new to science,” the Hungarian academic told Arab News.
Institutions involved in the discovery include RCU, University of Ha'il, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority.
These Saudi Arabian institutions collaborated with experts from Portugal's Universidade do Porto, Egypt's Suez University, Yemen's University of Aden and Malaysia's Natural History Collective Ventures.
Together with his Saudi Arabian, Czech and Portuguese colleagues, Patko processed the findings into an article. Within months it was published in a prestigious international peer-reviewed life science journal Zoosystematics and evolution.
It was very, very fast because it was thorough, high-quality work with substantial scientific results,” Patko said. “It was quickly accepted and published.
“It was a real happiness for me to see that this is an important discovery not only for us, but for the entire international scientific community.”
The published paper describes the new species as “a small, secretive snake with distinctive coloring and a melanistic morph. The new species occurs in the northwestern Hejaz region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and fills a large part of the existing distribution gap of the genus in the Arabian Peninsula.
Stephen Browne, vice-president of wildlife and natural heritage at the RCU, said the discovery of the new species showed the vital importance of the Kingdom's conservation efforts.
“This discovery is not just about cataloging a new species; reflects a continued commitment to protecting AlUla's lush, diverse ecosystems,” Browne said in a statement. “It is a symbol of our commitment to preserving this unique oasis.
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An RCU spokesman agreed that there was clearly still much to learn about the adaptability of desert animals.
“This find is key to understanding the ecological dynamics of the region and the adaptive strategies of its desert wildlife, reinforcing AlUla's reputation as a haven for both historical and natural treasures,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The project that led to the snake's discovery began with a region-wide wildlife inventory that began in November 2022 and focused on documenting the area's biodiversity.
“Never before have we had such a rigorous scientific gathering of knowledge,” Patko said. “As part of this project, we 'accidentally' found this new species.
“It was an accident in the sense that we thoroughly researched all our nature reserves and described all the species we could find. We knew there were some species in the reserve, but we didn't know their exact numbers or locations.”
Scientists suspected that this area could be home to new species. Geckos and snakes were observed in the area between 2017 and 2022, but were never collected and rigorously described. Inventory offered the perfect opportunity to fill in those blanks.
In 2023, the team devoted their time in the desert to observing animals based on morphology, including studying their external characteristics, color, scale pattern, and DNA.
DID YOU KNOWKNOW?
• Roughly half of AlUla's territory is occupied by six nature reserves, including the Sharaan Nature Reserve, which covers an area of 1,500 km2.
• These reserves are home to more than 1,580 animals of four species that have been successfully reintroduced to the region.
• Through habitat restoration, reintroduction of native species and sustainable practices, AlUla strives to create thriving and harmonious ecosystems.
“Obviously there are occasional ad hoc sightings, but if you're out in the field, you're working really hard,” Patko said.
“You will rise in the desert, you will sleep in the desert.” You work in the desert with 10-15 different experts. Then this hard work pays off. It's a great way to get proof of why it's important to be in the field.”
Using online databases, the team expected to find species such as Walterinnesia aegyptia, also known as the desert cobra or desert black snake – native to nearby Khaybar, where the reptile is well camouflaged against the volcanic landscape.
“Harrat Khaybar is mostly black and gray because of the basalt and ancient volcanic activity,” Patko said. “The first individual we found was melanistic – a completely black snake.
The newly discovered snake, on the other hand, is a bright red that has evolved to blend in with AlUla's signature red, orange, and yellow color palette. “It was very obvious that this was indeed a new species,” Patko said.
Like many desert dwellers, the snake is nocturnal. “During the day, because of the very hot weather, Rhynchocalamus hejazicus probably hides under rocks,” Patko said. “They come out at night to hunt invertebrates, small insects.”
And although it has tiny fangs with which it can strike its prey, the snake does not carry venom. It is also quite small. “It's a very cool snake; a small snake about 20-30 centimeters long, easy to handle,” said Patko.
According to Patek, there are fewer than 20 known species of snakes in AlUla, perhaps closer to 18. We still have a lot to learn about this latest addition to the reptilian community.
“We actually don't know much about their ecology because we only recently described the species.” So we can only guess,” said Patko.
“All the snakes we found were alone. Some snakes can congregate in one place during the winter, but these don't.”
One thing Patko believes is clear, however, is AlUl's value as a thriving natural environment, which makes conservation efforts in the region even more important for the sake of science and biodiversity.
“What is quite extraordinary about this story is how the deserts of AlUla can hold these hidden gems,” he said.
