DNA test detects elusive eastern pine snake without finding the animal

Eastern Pinesnake. Image Credit: Wikipedia Scientists have developed a DNA-based test that can detect the eastern pine snake from soil, offering a way to find evidence of the elusive reptile without having to spot the animal itself. The study, published in Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science, describes a new environmental DNA assay designed specifically for Pituophis melanoleucus. The method was tested against DNA from other reptiles and on soil collected from known eastern pine snake habitat in South Carolina, where the snake can be difficult to locate through traditional surveys.How can a DNA test find an eastern pine snake without direct contactThe new method works by looking for tiny traces of genetic material that an animal leaves behind in its surroundings. According to the Frontiers study, environmental DNA, or eDNA, can come from material such as shed skin, saliva, faeces and blood. Instead of needing to see or capture a snake, researchers can collect environmental material and test it for DNA belonging to the target species.This approach is particularly useful for eastern pine snakes because they are described in the study as secretive and semi-fossorial, meaning th...