Kings of rock: Saudi heavy metal band makes history at German festival

Dhahran: Scientists working in the ancient oasis of Alula in northwestern Saudi Arabia were excited to discover a new species of snake earlier this year. With its striking red color and vertical black collar, the reptile is perfectly suited to leaping against the sand and rocks of the hedgerows.

László Pátko, who has worked as an Applied Research Lead at the Royal Commission for Alula for the past two years, was part of a team exploring the region's biodiversity, discovering charismatic new and non-venomous species.

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

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

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

Together with his Saudi, Czech and Portuguese colleagues, Patko compiled the findings in a paper. Within months, it was published in a prestigious international, peer-reviewed life science journal. Zoos and Development.

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

“For me, it was a real pleasure 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 coloration and a melanistic morph. 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 Brown, vice president of wildlife and natural resources at RCU, said the discovery of this new species shows the importance of the state's conservation efforts.

“This discovery is not just the listing of a new species; It reflects AlUla's continued commitment to protecting the lush, diverse ecosystem,” Brown said in a statement. “It is a symbol of our dedication to protecting this unique oasis.

An RCU spokesman agreed that there was still much to learn about the adaptations of desert animals.

“This discovery is important for understanding the ecological dynamics of the region and the adaptive strategies of its 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 discovery of the snake began with a region-wide wildlife inventory, which began in November 2022, centered around documenting the region's biodiversity.

“We've never done this kind of rigorous, scientific knowledge gathering before,” Patko said. “In the framework of this project, we 'accidentally' found this new species.

“It was an accident in the sense 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 did not know their exact numbers or locations.”

Scientists speculated that the area could be home to new species. Between 2017 and 2022, geckos and snakes were observed in the area, but never collected and rigorously described. The list provided the perfect opportunity to fill these gaps.

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

“Of course, there are occasional ad hoc observations, but if you're on the field, you work really hard,” Patko said.

“You wake up in the desert, you sleep in the desert. You work with 10-15 different specialists in the desert. Then, this hard work pays off. This is 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 – indigenous to nearby Khyber, where the reptile is well camouflaged against the volcanic landscape.

“Harrat Khyber is often black and gray due to basalt and ancient volcanic activity,” Patko said. “The first one we found was melanistic—a completely black snake.”

The newly found snake, in contrast, is a vibrant red, developed to blend with AlUla's distinctive red, orange and yellow color palette. “It was very clear 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. “At night, they come out to look for invertebrates, small insects.”

And although it has tiny stings that can sting its prey, the snake does not carry venom. It is also relatively small. “It's a very cool snake; a small snake about 20-30 centimeters long, easy to handle,” Patko said.

According to Patko, Alula has fewer than 20 species of snakes, perhaps more than 18. There is much to learn about this latest addition to the reptile community.

“We don't really know much about their ecology because we've only just described the species. So we can only speculate,” Patko said.

“All the snakes we found were solitary. Some snakes may congregate in winter, but not these.”

One thing Patco believes is clear, however, is AlUla's value as a thriving natural habitat, making conservation efforts in the area even more important in the interests of science and biodiversity.

“What's extraordinary about this story is how the Alula deserts can hold these hidden gems,” he said.