Researchers discovered a new snake species in Madagascar and named it "ghost snake" for its pale grey coloration and elusiveness. They found the ghost snake on a recently opened path within the well-traveled Ankarana National Park in northern Madagascar in February 2014. They studied the snake's physical characteristics and genetics, which verified that it is a new species. The researchers from the LSU Museum of Natural Science, the American Museum of Natural History and the Université de Mahajunga in Madagascar named it Madagascarophis lolo, pronounced "luu luu," which means ghost in Malagasy. Their work was published in the scientific journal, Copeia.

The ghost snake is part of a common group of snakes calledMadagascarophis, or cat-eyed snakes, named for their vertical pupils, which is often found among snakes that are active in the evening or night. Many of the cat-eyed snakes are found in developed areas or degraded forests. However, the researchers found the ghost snake on the national park's iconic pale grey limestone Tsingy rocks.

None of the other snakes in Madagascarophis are as pale and none of them have this distinct pattern-according to researchers. The researchers conducted genetic analyses and were surprised to find that the ghost snake's next closest relative is a snake called Madagascarophis fuchsi, which was discovered at a site approximately 100 kilometers north of Ankarana several years ago. Both were found in rocky, isolated areas.

Malagasy master's student Bernard Randriamahatantsoa spotted the snake on the path. Randriamahatantsoa, Ruane and their collaborators discovered the ghost snake after hiking for more than 17 miles in near-constant rain from their field site to the Ankarana park entrance, whilst in search for a different species.