Calabaria reinhardtii ( Schlegel, 1851 )

Sánchez-Vialas, Alberto, Calvo-Revuelta, Marta & Riva, Ignacio De La, 2022, Synopsis of the terrestrial Reptiles of Equatorial Guinea, Zootaxa 5202 (1), pp. 1-197 : 65-66

Calabaria reinhardtii ( Schlegel, 1851)

Figure 16A

Eryx reinhardtii Schlegel, 1851: 1 . Type locality: “Côte d’or” Ghana. Restricted to Aqua Pim (Akwapim), southern Ghana ( Hughes & Barry 1969).

Calabaria fusca Gray, 1858: 155 . Type locality: “Old Calabar, W. Africa ” Duke Town , Nigeria.

Rhoptrura reinhardtii (Schlegel, 1848) : Peters, 1858: 340.

Rhoptrura petiti Sauvage, 1884: 202 . Type locality: “l’ouest de l’Afrique”.

Calabaria reinhardti (Schlegel, 1848) : Boulenger 1893: 92.

Distribution. It ranges from Liberia to eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Equatorial Guinea it has been recorded from Bioko ( Drewes et al. 1999) at Basilé, San Carlos ( Bocage 1895 a, 1903; Boulenger 1906; Capocaccia 1961a), and Musola ( Mertens 1941), and from Río Muni at Cabo San Juan ( Boulenger 1905) and Monte Alén National Park ( Lasso et al. 2002) ( Map 18B ).

Comments. The genus Calabaria is currently monotypic and has a confusing taxonomic history. It was formerly placed in Pythonidae until molecular phylogenetic analyses clarified its evolutionary history as a member of Boidae (Pyron et al. 2014) . Calabaria reinhardtii usually lives mainly inside superficial underground galleries and termite nests ( Angelici et al. 2000). Despite its secretive behaviour, it is a well known species among the local people of Equatorial Guinea (Maximiliano Fero, pers. comm.).

Specimens examined. Twenty-two specimens. Bioko: without precise locality ( MNCN 22818–22819 ) ; San Carlos , Bioko, July 1909 ( MNCN 22820 ) . Río Muni: Mongomo , 16 April 1986 (EBD 20794, EBD 20797, EBD 20799) ; road from Mongomo to Aconibe, 29 November 1985 ( EBD 20796) ; Mongomo (road to Añisok), 06 June 1986 ( EBD 20798) ; road from Mfaman to Niefang, 10 March 1986 ( EBD 20795) ; Miboman ( Km 27, road to Bata), 15 February 1986; Miboman (30 km from Niefang), 01 February 1987 ( EBD 25008) ; Sanduma , 27 February 1965 ( EBD 2845 ) ; 10 km before the road of Alosa from Bata, 09 May 1966 ( EBD 2846 ) ; San Joaquín de Ndyiacom , 01 August 1986 ( EBD 25007) ; San Joaquín de Ndyiacon (road from Bata to Ayamiken), 01 February 1987 ( EBD 25009) , 03 February 1987 ( EBD 25010) , December 1987 (EBD 27753, EBD 27779) , September 1987 ( EBD 27484) , 1990 ( EBD 31492) ; Nvom (road from Aconibe to Asok), 08 May 1987 ( EBD 25011) ; Equatorial Guinea, likely part of the material examined by Boulenger (1905) from Cabo San Juan ( MNCN 22316 , MNCN 22821 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 16. From left to right: lateral, dorsal and ventral views of the head of: Calabaria reinhardtii (A) (MNCN 22820), Dasypeltis fasciata (B) (MNCN 46190), and Dipsadoboa duchesnii (C) (EBD 20790). Photos: AS-V.

MAPS 18 A–C. Distribution maps for Equatorial Guinean records of (A) Varanus niloticus; (B) Calabaria reinhardtii; (C) Dasypeltis fasciata.