Eryx colubrinus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Kirchhof, Sebastian, Wasonga, Victor, Mazuch, Tomáš, Spawls, Stephen & Malonza, Patrick Kinyatta, 2023, An annotated checklist of the herpetofauna of the Sibiloi National Park in northern Kenya based on field surveys, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 324) 17 (1 / 2), pp. 1-18 : 10

Eryx colubrinus (Linnaeus, 1758)

CITES App. II

Vouchers: NMK-372S (field no. SK16 1023)

Additional tissue samples: SK353 2017

Localities: AB (B), IL (B, R), KF (B), LO (B), TBI Remarks: A typical inhabitant of arid and semi-arid areas in north-eastern Africa ( Spawls et al. 2018). The natural history of the Sand Boa ( Fig. 4S ) is poorly known due to its secretive fossorial lifestyle. We recorded seven individuals. Six of them were active at night or at least after sunset, and the other one recorded during daytime was found at TBI at noon after rain. It was a large female that was lying under a tree in the moist soil with its head buried underground and its entire body exposed; however, it was largely protected from direct sun by the shadow of the tree. Individuals were recorded in November, March, and April mainly in bushland, and only one individual was found in a dry riverbed.

Figures

Fig. 4. Reptile species recorded during the surveys: (A) Crocodylus niloticus; (B) Agama lionotus; (C) Agama rueppelli; (D) Holodactylus africanus; (E) Hemidactylus angulatus; (F) Hemidactylus barbierii; (G) Hemidactylus lanzai; (H) Hemidactylus ruspolii; (I) Homopholis fasciata; (J) Lygodactylus somalicus; (K) Stenodactylus sthenodactylus; (L) Heliobolus spekii; (M) Latastia longicaudata; (N) Philochortus rudolfensis; (O) Chalcides bottegi; (P) Mochlus sundevallii; (Q) Trachylepis striata; (R) Varanus albigularis; (S) Eryx colubrinus; (T) Platyceps brevis; (U) Psammophis cf. tanganicus; (V) Psammophis punctulatus; (W) Rhamphiophis rostratus; (X) Naja pallida; (Y) Bitis arietans; and (Z) Echis pyramidum.