Researchers discovered a new egg-eating snake species named Dasypeltis albigularis in Ethiopia's Harenna Forest.
Reader brief
Through the Reader lens: Scientists have identified a new species of egg-eating snake, Dasypeltis albigularis, located in the Harenna Forest of Ethiopia. The discovery, which involved seven years of genetic testing and field observations, distinguishes the snake from the closely related montane egg-eater. The species is characterized by a white throat and is uniquely adapted to swallow and crack bird eggs internally using specialized vertebral structures.
What was said1
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Arthur Tiutenko
1 quote“As she grew to adult size, I noticed morphological differences”
In the article
…from the Harenna Forest which looked like it belonged to Dasypeltis atra. It is a closely related species also known as the montane egg-eater. However, the identification became less certain as the snake matured. “ As she grew to adult size, I noticed morphological differences ,” Tiutenko said, according to the research coverage. Scientists then began comparing the snake with related species and studied its behaviour, breeding biology and DNA. The researchers eventually examined 16 specimens…
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Sources1
- [1]The Times of IndianeutralNew snake species found in Ethiopia eats only bird eggs