Atractaspis congica Peters, 1877

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 : 30

Atractaspis congica Peters, 1877

Material (four specimens): One adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 320, formerly UP-MHNFCP-017391; Fig. S59 ), collected from unknown locality, date unknown; one adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 323), collected from unknown locality, date unknown; one adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 324, formerly UP-MHNFCP-017393), collected from N’Dalla Gando [=N’dalatando] [-9.30000º, 14.91667º, 782 m a.s.l.] Kwanza Norte Province, in August 1903 ; one adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 335), collected from unknown locality, date unknown.

Comments: Atractaspis congica is known from central Africa, occurring from Cameroon to Zambia and is widely spread throughout Angola ( Marques et al. 2018; Chippaux & Jackson 2019). From the Newton Expedition were published two adult specimens, one from “Cazengo” and one from “Golungo Alto”, possibly matching specimens MHNCUP/REP 320, REP 323 and REP 335 ( Ferreira 1904, 1906). This species was first described from “Chinchoxo” ( Cabinda enclave) by Peters (1877). Portillo et al. (2019) found A. congica to likely represent more than a single species, as the topotypic Angolan specimens examined were highly divergent from the material from Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Figures

FIGURE S59. Specimen of Atractaspis congica (MHNCUP/REP 320), from unknown locality. Photo by Bruna Santos.