Mochlus Günther, 1864

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 : 245-246

Genus Mochlus Günther, 1864

Mochlus sundevallii (Smith, 1849) SUNDEVALL’S WRITHING SKINK

Eumices [sic] ( Riopa ) sunderallii Smith 1849b:11. Holotype: BMNH 1946.8.7.3 (formerly BMNH 65.5.4.59) (collector A. Smith) (see notes below). Type locality: “country to the eastward of the Cape Colony” [ South Africa; “probably from W. Transvaal” fide Broadley (1966a:4)].

Mochlus afer : Bocage (1867b:222, 1867c:227).

Eumeces reticulatus : Bocage (1879c:88).

Lygosoma sundevalii : Boulenger (1887:307), Bocage (1895a:49), Branch (1998:150).

Lygosoma modestum : Monard (1937b:94); Frade (1963:253).

Lygosoma modesta modesta : Hellmich (1957b:57), Loveridge (1957:215).

Mochlus sundevalii sundevalii : Laurent (1964a:78), Bates et al. (2014:259).

Riopa sundevalli : Haacke (1965:18).

Riopa sundevalii sundevalii : Broadley (1966a:4).

Lygosoma sundevalii : Spawls et al. (2004:146).

Mochlus sundevalii : Wagner et al. (2009:2), Spawls (2017), Ceríaco et al. (2016a:56), Conradie et al. (2016:25).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern.

Global distribution: The species is widely distributed mainly in southeastern Africa, from Uganda south to Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and west to Namibia, Zambia, and Angola. Ocurrences in Angola (Map 206): The species occurs in southern Angola. Lunda

Norte: “Dundo” [-7.36667, 20.83333] ( Laurent 1964a:78). Kwanza Norte: “Piri-Dembos” [-8.56667, 14.50000] ( Hellmich

1957b:57). Benguela: “Catumbella”

[-12.43333, 13.55000] ( Bocage, 1867b:222,

1895a:49); “ Benguela ” [-12.58333, 13.41667]

( Bocage, 1867b:222, 1895a:49; Boulenger

1887:307; Broadley 1966a:3); “Alto Cubal”

[-13.03333, 14.25000] ( Hellmich 1957b:57).

Huíla: “ Huíla ” [-15.05000, 13.55000] ( Laurent

1964a:78). Namibe: “10 mls E of Caracul ”

[-15.01667, 12.66667] ( Haacke 1965:18; Broadley 1966a:4; Ceríaco et al. 2016a:56);

“Capangombe” [-15.10000, 13.15000] ( Bocage 1895a:49; Ceríaco et al. 2016a:56); “Mossamedes” [-15.20000, 12.15000] (Bocage MAP 206. Distribution of Mochlus sundevalii in Angola. 1867b:227, 1895a:49; Ceríaco et al. 2016a:56); “Rio Coroca” [-15.78333, 12.06667] ( Bocage 1895a:49; Ceríaco et al. 2016:a 56). Cunene: “Mupanda (Kuanyama)” [-17.13333, 15.76667] ( Monard 1937b:94; Broadley 1966a:4). Cuando Cubango: “Cuando basin (39)” [-17.46333, 22.86638] ( Conradie et al. 2016:9, 10, 12); “Cuando basin (42)” [-17.49611, 23.13444] ( Conradie et al. 2016:9, 10, 12); “Cuando basin (44a)” [-17.57333, 23.26000] ( Conradie et al. 2016:9, 10, 12). Taxonomic and distributional notes: This species was previously included in Lygosoma , which is now restricted to Asia ( Wagner et al. 2009). This species is endemic to Africa and widely distributed mainly in southeastern Africa ( Bates et al. 2014). There are two Angolan records from “Dundo” ( Laurent 1964a) and “Piri-Dembos” ( Hellmich 1957b) that probably correspond to a misidentification, since the distribution range for the species in the country is restricted to the southern regions. Smith’s description appears to refer to a single individual and FitzSimons (1937) identified one potential BMNH specimen matching the description. This corresponds to BMNH 1946.8.7.3 and is entered in the BMNH registers as presented by Sir Andrew Smith but, oddly, as coming via the St. Petersburg Museum (ZIL).