Discovery of a New Snake Species in Saudi Arabia

A team of international scientists from the Center for Research on Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO) has discovered a new species of snake in Saudi Arabia, bridging the regional gap between two other species of the same genus.

The creatures of the genus Rhynchocalamus inhabit mountainous areas with high humidity and low temperatures in the Mediterranean Levant and the coasts of Yemen and Oman. This means that the distance between the habitats of the two sister species, R. dayanae and R. arabicus, is quite large.

Thanks to the discovery of Rhynchocalamus hejazicus, this gap has been bridged, as it resides in a large part of the area previously thought to lack snakes of this taxonomic category. Its distinctive color was significantly responsible for its discovery. It is a small snake with a black neck and reddish color, distinguishing it from its closest relatives.

The center explained that the primary feature defining its classification is its coloration. However, genetic studies were also conducted, including molecular analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear genes.

The new species, Rhynchocalamus hejazicus, was named after the Hejaz Mountains. The largest number of these snakes was observed in this mountain range, which covers a significant part of the Arabian Peninsula.

Moreover, this homogeneous region includes several cities of great religious importance to Muslims, such as Mecca and Medina. The suffix “-icus,” derived from Latin, meaning “belonging to,” was added to the name. Therefore, the name of these snakes means “belonging to Hejaz.”

The center noted that this research is responsible for classifying different animal species into their genera, families, and kingdoms, among other categories. This helps to understand not only the present but also the past of wildlife and the path it has taken to reach its current state.