Psammophylax Fitzinger, 1843

Marques, Mariana P., Ceríaco, Luis M. P., Blackburn, David C. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2018, Diversity and Distribution of the Amphibians and Terrestrial Reptiles of Angola Atlas of Historical and Bibliographic Records (1840 - 2017), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65, pp. 1-501 : 354-357

Genus Psammophylax Fitzinger, 1843

Psammophylax acutus ( Günther, 1888) STRIPED BEAKED SNAKE

Psammophis acutus Günther 1888:327 , pl. 19, fig. d. Holotype: BMNH 1946.1 .2.81 (formerly BMNH 1864 .

7.13.36) (collector F.M.J. Welwitsch). Type locality: “Pungo Andongo,” Malanje Pronvince, Angola. Psammophis oxyrhynchus : Günther (1865a:480, 1895:89). Rhagerhis acuta : Bocage (1895a:111). Rhamphiophis acutus : Boulenger (1896:148, 1905:113, 1915:212), Loveridge (1933:252), Hellmich

(1957b:71), Manaças (1973:195), Broadley et al. (2003), Spawls et al. (2004:398), Chippaux (2006:170). Rhamphiophis acutus ( Rhagerhis acuta ): Monard (1937b:128). Rhamphiophis acutus wittei : Laurent (1964a:111). Rhamphiophis acutus acutus : Loveridge (1957:277), Laurent (1964a:111), Broadley (1971b:3), Chirio and

Ineich (1991:220). Rhamphiophis acutus jappi : Broadley (1971d:4). Psammophylax tritaeniatus tritaeniatus : Manaças (1973:194). Psammophylax acutus acutus : Kelly et al. (2008:1052). Psammophylax acutus jappi : Kelly et al. (2008:1052). Psammophis acutus : Wallach et al. (2014:575). Psammophylax acutus : Conradie et al. (2016:22).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The species is known from Gabon to the former province of Katanga ( Democratic Republic of Congo) to Angola and east to northern Malawi, western Tanzania and

Burundi. Records from northern Namibia

(M. Griffin in Wallach et al. 2014) have not been verified or vouchered.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 317): The species occurs from southwestern regions of

Huíla Province to central and northeastern

Angola. Lunda Norte : “Dundo” [-7.36667,

20.83333] ( Laurent 1964a:111; Broadley

1971d:4); “Cassange” [-9.58333, 17.86667]

( Bocage 1895a:111; Broadley 1971d:3).

Lunda Sul: “Alto Cuílo” [-10.01667,

19.55000] ( Laurent 1964a:111; Broadley

1971d:3); “Alto Chicapa” [-10.88333,

19.23333] ( Laurent 1964a:111; Broadley

1971b:3). Moxico: “Calombe, Luso”

[-11.83333, 19.93333] ( Manaças 1973:194,

195). Malanje: “Pungo-Andongo” [-9.66667,

15.58333] ( Günther 1865a:480; 1888:327, MAP 317. Distribution of Psammophylax acutus in Angola.

1895:89; Bocage 1895a:111; Boulenger

1896:148; Loveridge 1933:252; Monard 1937b:128; Broadley 1971d:3; Chirio and Ineich 1991:220; Chippaux 2006:170; Wallach et al. 2014:575). Huambo: “Bela-Vista” [-12.36667, 16.20000] ( Hellmich 1957b:71; Broadley 1971d:3). Benguela: “Bigondo” [-12.06667, 17.41667] ( Monard 1937b:128). Huíla: “Caconda” [-13.73333, 15.06667] ( Bocage 1895a:111; Monard 1937b:128; Broadley 1971d:3); “Huilla” [-15.05000, 13.55000] ( Bocage 1895a:111; Monard 1937b:128; Broadley 1971d:3). Cuando Cubango: “Longa River (23)” [-14.58972, 18.17083] ( Conradie et al. 2016:8-9, 22); “Longa River (51)” [-14.58970, 18.1711] ( Conradie et al. 2016:8, 12, 22). Undetermined locality: “Between Benguella and Bihé” ( Boulenger 1905:113; Broadley 1971d:3).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Broadley (1971b) recognized three subspecies: Rhamphiophis a. acutus , R. a. jappi (Broadley, 1971) and R a. togoensis (Matschie, 1893) and provisionally synonymized Rhamphiophis acutus wittei ( Laurent, 1956) with the nominate form. Recently Kelly et al. (2008) showed that Rhamphiophis is diphyletic and transfered R. acutus and its subspecies to the genus Psammophylax . The specimen from “Dundo” (MD 5193-A) identified by Laurent (1964a) as R. a. acutus and later as R. a. jappi by Broadley (1971d) is here interpreted as the typical form. We recently examined the specimen identified by Manaças (1973) as Psammophylax tritaeniatus tritaeniatus (Günther, 1868) from “Calombe, Luso” deposited in the Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, Lisboa and it is likewise referable to Psammophylax a. acutus . Wallach et al. (2014) erroneously allocated R. acutus to Psammophis .

Psammophylax rhombeatus ocellatus (Bocage, 1873) SPOTTED SKAAPSTEKER (Endemic)

Psammophylax ocellatus Bocage 1873a:221 . Holotype: MBL specimen number unknown (collector J.A.

d’Anchieta), specimen lost fide Broadley (1977c). Type locality: “l’intérieur de Mossamedes (Gambos)”

[= Gambos], Huíla Province, Angola. Psammophis rhombeatus ?: Bocage (1867b:224). Psammophylax rhombeatus : Bocage (1895a:108), Boulenger (1896:138, 1915:211), Bates et al. (2014),

Wallach et al. (2014:582). Trimerorhinus rhombeatus : Monard (1937b:126, 128). Psammophylax rhombeatus ocellatus : Broadley (1977c:20, 1990:121), Branch (1998:88).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not

Evaluated.

Global distribution: The subspecies is endemic to southern Angola.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 318): The subspecies occurs in southwestern Angola near

Namibia border. Benguela: “Dombe”

[-12.95000, 13.10000] ( Bocage 1867b:224).

Huíla: “Gambos” [-15.76667, 14.10000]

( Bocage 1873a:221, 1895a:108; Monard

1937b:128; Broadley 1977d:20-21). Cunene:

“Humbe” [-16.68333, 14.90000] ( Bocage

1895a:108; Boulenger 1896:139, Monard

1937b:128; Broadley 1977c:21). Undetermined Locality: “No specific locality (Coll.

Anchieta)” (Broadley 1977d:21).

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

Broadley (1977c) and subsequent authors MAP 318. Distribution of Psammophylax rhombeatus ocellatus in Angola.

( Broadley 1990; Branch 1998; Bates et al.

2014) have considered P. r. ocellatus ( Linnaeus, 1758) as a valid subspecies. The type of Psammophylax ocellatus Bocage, 1873 was not located by Broadley during his visit to the Museu Bocage in 1968 ( Broadley 1977b). Wallach et al. (2014) noted that Broadley (1977d) had restrict- ed the type locality of P. r. rhombeatus to “SW Western Cape Prov., South Africa ” but Broadley took no such formal action, merely noting that the type specimens “agree well” with with specimens of P. rhombeatus rhombeatus from the southwestern Cape Province, from wherer the types doubtless originated.

Psammophylax tritaeniatus (Günther, 1868) STRIPED SKAAPSTEKER Rhagerrhis tritaeniata : Günther 1868:423, pl. 19, fig. H. Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.2.78 (collector Warwick).

Type locality: “probably from South-eastern Africa”, (“presumably Rhodesia [ Zimbabwe] or the Transvaal” [= Limpopo or Mpumalanga], South Africa fide Broadley 1977c:32). Rhagerrhis tritaeniata : Bocage (1873b:220, 1879b:95, 1887c:210, 1895a:110, 1896a:112, 1897b:211),

Ferreira (1897b:244). Cerastes tritaeniatus tritaeniatus : Mertens (1937a:14, 1938a:441), Bogert (1940:77). Trimerorhinus rhombeatus tritaeniatus : Monard (1937b:130). Psammophylax tritaeniatus tritaeniatus : Hellmich (1857b:71), Loveridge (1957:276), Laurent (1964a:110). Psammophylax tritaeniatus : Broadley (1977c:32, 1990:124), Branch (1998:88), Wallach et al. (2014:583).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern.

Global distribution: The species endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, from the former province of Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Zambia to southern Tanzania and south through Zimbabwe, western Mozambique, Botswana, northern Namibia and northeastern South Africa.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 319): The species distribution probably comprises the most southern regions of Angola, with exception of the Namibe Province, as well as Moxico. Moxico: “Cazombo” [-11.88333, 22.91667] ( Laurent 1964a:110; Broadley 1977c:36). Benguela: “Cahata” [-12.35000, 14.81667] ( Bocage 1895a:110; Broadley 1977c:36); “Quissange” [-12.43333, 14.05000] ( Bocage 1887c:210, 1895a:110; Broadley 1977c:36); “Quindumbo” [-12.46667, 14.93333] ( Bocage 1895a:110; Broadley 1977c:36); “Ebanga” [-12.73333, 14.73333] ( Monard

1937b:130; Broadley 1977c:36); “Cubal (Alto

Cubal)” [-13.03333, 14.25000] ( Mertens

1937a:14, 1938a:441; Hellmich 1957b:71;

Broadley 1977c:36); “Hanha” [-13.30000,

14.20000] ( Bocage 1896a:112, 1897b:211).

Huíla: “Caconda” [-13.73333, 15.06667]

( Bocage 1895a:110; Ferreira 1897b:244; Broadley 1977c:36); “Kuvangu (Vila-da-Ponte)”

[-14.46667, 16.30000] ( Monard 1937b:130;

Broadley 1977c:36); “Capelongo” [-14.91667,

15.08333] ( Bogert 1940:77; Broadley

1977c:36); “Huilla” [-15.05000, 13.55000]

( Bocage 1873b:220, 1895a:110); “Jau, environs de Sá da Bandeira” [-15.20000, 13.51667]

( Laurent 1964a:110; Broadley 1977c:36);

“Gambos” [-15.76667, 14.10000] ( Bocage

1873b:220, 1895a:110). Cunene: “Forte

MAP 319. Distribution of Psammophylax tritaeniatus in Roçadas” [-16.71667, 15.01667] ( Laurent Angola.

1964a:110; Broadley 1977a:36); “Humbe”

[-16.68333, 14.90000] ( Bocage 1895a:110; Broadley 1977c:36); “Dongwenna” [-17.01667, 14.71667] ( Broadley 1977c:36); “Mupanda” [-17.13333, 15.76667] ( Monard 1937b:130; Broadley 1977c:36); “ 36 km NW of Humbe” ( Broadley 1977b:36). Cuando Cubango: “Kakindo” [-15.45000, 17.05000] ( Monard 1937b:130). Undetermined Locality: “without precise location” ( Bocage 1879b:95).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Manaças’s (1973) reference to Psammophylax tritaeniatus tritaeniatus (Günther, 1868) from “Calombe, Luso” in the Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, Lisboa is referable to Psammophylax a. acutus .