Zygaspis Cope, 1885

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 : 211-213

Genus Zygaspis Cope, 1885

Zygaspis nigra Broadley and Gans, 1969 BLACK ROUND-SNOUTED WORM LIZARD

Zygaspis niger Broadley and Gans 1969:1 , figs. 1–2. Holotype: NMZB 6698 (formerly UM 6698) (collector R.G. Japp). Type locality: “Kalabo, Barotse Province,” Zambia. Zygaspis quadrifrons capensis : Laurent (1964a:84). Zygaspis niger : Broadley and Gans (1975:21). Zygaspis nigra : Broadley and Broadley (1997:13), Branch (1998:124), Gans (2005:39), Broadley and Measey (2016: 118). Global conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern. Global distribution: The species is known from eastern Angola, western Zambia, the Caprivi Strip of Namibia and into adjacent northern Botswana.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 164): Published records in Angola derived from the northeastern provinces. Lunda Sul: “Alto Chicapa” [-10.88333, 19.23333] ( Laurent

1964a:84; Broadley and Gans 1969:1;

Broadley and Broadley 1997:14). Moxico:

“ Gago Coutinho District ” [-14.101654,

21.435308] (Broadley and Gans 1969:1;

Broadley and Broadley 1997:14; Broadley and

Measey 2016:118, 122); “Colanda 7 km E of

Vila Luso” (Broadley and Gans 1975:21;

Broadley and Broadley 1997:14; Broadley and

Measey 2016:118).

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

Zygaspis nigra is sympatric with Z. quadrifrons (Peters, 1862) in portions of its range

(Broadley and Broadley 1997), although allopatric in eastern Angola and Namibia. The MAP 164. Distribution of Zygaspis nigra in Angola.

typical habitats for this species are miombo woodlands and Baikiaea woodlands on sandy soils (Broadley and Broadley 1997; Branch 1998).

Zygaspis quadrifrons (Peters, 1862) KALAHARI ROUND-SNOUTED WORM LIZARD

Amphisbaena quadrifrons Peters 1862a:25 . Syntypes: ZMB 4202–4204 (collector C. H. Hahn). Type locality: “Neu-Barmen, im Hereolande, an der Westküste von Afrika” [= Gross Barmen, Otjozondjupa Region], Namibia.

Amphisbaena ambuellensis Monard 1931:93 , figs. 1–4. Syntype: MHNC 91.0621 (collector A. Monard). Type locality: “Chimporo” and “Caquindo” [= Tchimpolo and Caquindo], Cunene and Cuando Cubango provinces, Angola respectively.

Amphisbaena ambuellensis : Monard (1937b:65).

Zygaspis quadrifrons quadrifrons : Loveridge

(1941c:385), Gans (1967:88).

Zygaspis quadrifrons : Broadley and Broadley

(1997:14), Gans et al. (1997:44), Gans (2005:39),

Conradie et al. (2016:23).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not

Evaluated.

Global distribution: A widespread species distributed from Southern Democratic

Republic of Congo, south through Zambia,

Zimbabwe, and Botswana to the northern regions of South Africa, west to southwestern

Angola and northern Namibia, east to southern

Malawi and central Mozambique

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 165): The species has been reported from southern Angola, but may be expected to occur in Moxico

Province near the border with Zambia as well. MAP 165. Distribution of Zygaspis quadrifrons in Cunene: “Chimporo” [-16.03333, 17.15000] Angola .

( Monard 1931:93, 1937b:65; Loveridge 1941c:385, 387; Gans 1967:88, 2005:39; Broadley and Broadley 1997:17). Cuando Cubango: “Caquindo (Kakindo)” [-15.45000, 17.05000] ( Monard 1931:93, 1937b:65; Loveridge 1941c:385, 387; Gans 1967:88, 2005:39; Broadley and Broadley 1997:17); “lower Cuando river (41b)” [-17.46777, 23.07944] ( Conradie et al. 2016:9, 11, 23); “lower Cuando river (44b)” [-17.56916, 23.27305] ( Conradie et al. 2016:9, 11, 23); “Cuito basin (59)” [-16.28392, 18.84744] ( Conradie et al. 2016:9, 12, 23); “Cuito basin (60)” [-16.92367, 19.29675] ( Conradie et al. 2016:9, 12, 23).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Bauer et al. (1995a) and Gans (2005) mistakenly gave the current name of Neu Barmen as Otjimbingue. This is, in fact, the location of another Rhenish mission station operated in the 19th century by the missionary and collector Carl Hugo Hahn. Amphisbaena ambuellensis ( Monard, 1931) was synonymized with Z. quadrifrons with some misgivings by Loveridge (1941c) because he expected to find “racial differentiation” between the fauna of southern Angola and that of South West Africa [ Namibia] and Broadley and Broadley (1997) likewise considered that these populations might eventually prove to be distinct.