Elapsoidea semiannulata Bocage, 1882

Segniagbeto, Gabriel Hoinsoude, Trape, Jean François, David, Patrick, Ohler, Annemarie, Dubois, Alain & Glitho, Isabelle Adolé, 2011, The snake fauna of Togo: systematics, distribution and biogeography, with remarks on selected taxonomic problems, Zoosystema 33 (3), pp. 325-360 : 337

Elapsoidea semiannulata Bocage, 1882

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 5 specimens ( MNHN 1989.0260 , campus of the university, Lomé; MRAC 29533 , MRAC 29471 , Namoudjoga; MRAC 29660 , Borgou; MRAC 29482 , Payo ) .

MORPHOLOGY. — TL from 217 to 535 mm; 13 MSR, smooth; 153-164 Ven, smooth; 17-25 Sc, paired; anal single; 7 supralabials; 7 infralabials; 1 preocular; 2 postoculars; temporal scale formula 1 + 2.

DISTRIBUTION. — On the basis of available voucher specimens, this species is present throughout the country. Previously, it had been mentioned from Togo by Broadley (1971a, 1998), Harding & Welch (1980), Welch (1982), Roman (1984), Golay (1985), Golay et al. (1993), Spawls & Branch (1995) and David & Ineich (1999). Sternfeld (1908b: 220, 1909: 23) recorded Elapechis guentheri Bocage, 1866 , now Elapsoidea guentheri , from Mango (ER I) and Missahohe (ER IV), and Kete-Kratchi, now in Ghana. Subsequently, Hulselmans & Verheyen (1970) and Hulselmans et al. (1970, 1971) also included Elapsoidea guentherii Bocage, 1866 in the snake fauna of Togo. However, as E. guentheri is known from Congo to Angola and Zimbabwe ( David & Ineich 1999; Chippaux 2006), we believe that these specimens should be referred to Elapsoidea semiannulata .