A new species of snake has been discovered after it took researchers seven years to formally confirm and describe it.

The snake, named Dasypeltis albigularis and also known as the white-throated egg-eater, is found mainly in Ethiopia’s Harenna Forest, one of the last large areas of natural forest in the Horn of Africa. It feeds only on bird eggs.

The snake belongs to a group of African snakes that have evolved to eat only bird eggs.

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Its discovery brings the number of known species in the Dasypeltis genus to about 20.

For seven years, researchers studied the reptile before confirming it as a separate species.

They compared its physical features, carried out DNA tests, and also observed snakes kept in captivity.

The new species looks very similar to other egg-eating snakes, which made it difficult to identify.

It closely resembles the montane egg-eater (Dasypeltis atra), a dark brown, black or grey snake found in forests across East Africa.

However, DNA tests showed that the Harenna Forest snake is a different species.

Researchers also found differences in its appearance and behaviour.

The snake’s scientific name, Dasypeltis albigularis, refers to its white throat.

It has pale skin, which can sometimes have a blue colour between its scales, as well as, a white throat and belly.

Female snakes of the new species can grow to about 92 centimetres long. This makes them smaller than D. atra and some of their close relatives.

Researchers also found that the new species appears unable to make the rasping or hissing sound used by some other egg-eating snakes to scare away predators.

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Egg-eating snakes are harmless and have no limbs or teeth for breaking eggs. Instead, they swallow the eggs whole and use specially adapted bones in their throat to break the shell inside their bodies.

After the egg is digested, the broken shell is brought back up and expelled.

MAG/VPO

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