Bitis (Bitis) arietans (Merrem, 1820)

Santos, Bruna S., Marques, Mariana P., Bauer, Aaron M. & Ceríaco, Luis M. P., 2021, Herpetological results of Francisco Newton’s Zoological Expedition to Angola (1903 – 1906): a taxonomic revision and new records of a forgotten collection, Zootaxa 5028 (1), pp. 1-80 : 28-29

Bitis (Bitis) arietans (Merrem, 1820)

Material (three specimens): One adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 342, formerly UP-MHNFCP-017416), collected from Sul de Angola [=Southern Angola] (impossible to georeference), date unknown date; one adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 343, formerly UP-MHNFCP-017417; Fig. S54 ), collected from Coroca [-15.78333º, 12.06667º, 45 m a.s.l.] Namibe Province, in June 1904 ; one adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 344, formerly UP-MHNFCP- 017418), collected from unknown locality, date unknown.

Comments: Bitis arietans is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa as well as the Arabian Peninsula and Morocco, occurring in grassland, open woodland, and scrubland habitats ( Marques et al. 2018; Barlow et al. 2019). It is common and widespread in Angola, with the exception of the southwestern desert and some mountain regions ( Marques et al. 2018). B. arietans is the sole representative of the Bitis subgenera ( Barlow et al. 2019). Ferreira (1904, 1906) did not cite this species, although all specimens were identified on the jars as Ditera [sic] arietans .

Figures

FIGURE S54. Specimen of Bitis (Bitis) arietans (MHNCUP/REP 343), from Coroca. Photo by Bruna Santos.