Mysterious New Snake Species Discovered in Saudi Arabia

Researchers have identified a new snake species in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. Named Rhynchocalamus hejazicus, this small snake is notable for its black collar and reddish coloration, which sets it apart from its closest relatives. Additionally, a uniformly black variant of the species, known as the ‘melanistic morphotype,’ has been discovered. Rhynchocalamus hejazicus is prevalent throughout a large area, bridging the distribution gap between the Levant and the coastal regions of Yemen and Oman for the Rhynchocalamus genus.

The species was discovered by an international team of scientists from the Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO) in Portugal and Charles University in the Czech Republic. Their findings were published in Zoosystematics and Evolution, a journal published by Pensoft on behalf of Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.