How a newly classified species of snake was discovered in Saudi Arabia’s ancient AlUla oasis

DHAHRAN: Scientists working in the ancient AlUla oasis in northwestern Saudi Arabia were delighted earlier this year to discover a new species of snake. With its striking red hue and chic 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 for the past two years has worked as an applied research leader at the Royal Commission on AlUla, inventorying the region's biodiversity.

“The snake species, Rhynchocalamus hejazicus, is not only new to the region or the country, it is new to science,” a Hungarian academic told Arab News.

Institutions involved in the discovery include RCU, Ha'il University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the Royal Authority for the Development of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Reserve.

These Saudi institutions worked alongside experts from Portugal's Universidade do Porto, Egypt's Suez University, Yemen's Aden University and Malaysia's Collective Natural History Association.

Together with his Saudi, Czech and Portuguese colleagues, Patko compiled the results in a paper. In just a few months, it was published in the prestigious international peer-reviewed life sciences journal Zoosystematics and evolution.

It was very, very fast because it was a thorough, high-quality work with substantial scientific results,” Patko said. “It was quickly accepted and published.

“For me, this was the real happiness to see that this is not only an important discovery for us, but for the whole international scientific community.”

The published paper describes the new species as “a small, secretive snake with a distinctive coloration and melanistic form. The new species is found 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 this new species demonstrated the vital importance of the Kingdom's conservation efforts.

“This discovery is not just about cataloging a new species; reflects the ongoing commitment to protect AlUla's lush and diverse ecosystems,” Browne said in a statement. “It is a symbol of our dedication to preserving this unique oasis.

A spokesman for the RCU agreed that there was clearly more to be learned about the adaptability of desert animals.

“This discovery is critical to understanding the ecological dynamics of the region and the adaptation strategies of desert wildlife, enhancing AlUla's reputation as a sanctuary 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, which began in November 2022, focused on documenting the area's biodiversity.

“We've never had this kind of rigorous, scientific, collection of knowledge before,” Patko said. “During this project, we 'accidentally' found this new species.

“It was an accident in that we thoroughly surveyed all our nature reserves and described all the species we could find. We knew that some species existed in the reserve, but we didn't know their exact numbers or location.”

Scientists suspected that the region could host new species. Between 2017 and 2022, geckos and snakes were observed in the area, but were never rigorously collected and described. Inventory provided the perfect opportunity to fill in these blanks.

In 2023, the team devoted their time in the desert to observing the animals based on morphology, including studying their external features, color, scale pattern and DNA.

“Of course, there are occasional ad hoc observations, but if you're in the field, you work a lot,” Patko said.

“You wake up in the desert, you 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 on the field.”

Using online databases, the team expected to find species such as Walterinnesia aegyptia, also known as the desert cobra or black desert snake – indigenous to nearby Khaybar, where the reptile is well camouflaged against the volcanic landscape.

“Harrat Khaybar is mostly black and gray because of basalt and ancient volcanic activity,” Patko said. “The first individual we found was melanistic – a completely black snake.”

Instead, the newly discovered snake is a vibrant red, evolving to blend in with AlUla's distinct red, orange and yellow color palette. “It was very apparent 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 the rocks,” Patko said. “At night they come out to hunt invertebrates, small insects.”

And although it has tiny fangs with which to strike its prey, the snake carries no venom. It is also relatively small. “It is a very strong snake; a small snake about 20-30 centimeters long, easy to handle,” Patko said.

According to Patko, fewer than 20 species of snakes are known in AlUla, perhaps closer to 18. There is still much to learn about this latest addition to the reptile community.

“Actually, we don't know much about their ecology because we only recently described the species. So we can only guess,” Patko said.

“All the snakes we found were alone. Some snakes can congregate in one place during the winter, but not these.”

One thing Patko believes is clear, however, is AlUla's value as a thriving natural habitat, making conservation efforts in the region all the more important in the interest of science and biodiversity.

“What is quite exceptional about this story is how the AlUla deserts can keep these gems hidden,” he said.