Dispholidus Duvernoy, 1832

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 : 381-384

Genus Dispholidus Duvernoy, 1832

Dispholidus typus typus ( Smith, 1828) BOOMSLANG

Bucephalus typus Smith 1828:2 . Syntype: RSM, identified by FitzSimons (1937:263), however, not recorded as a type by Herman et al. (1990). Type locality: “eastern districts of South Africa ” ( Smith 1828:2), restricted to “Old Latakoo [= Lattakoo or Lithako, approx. 27°S, 24°E, i.e. btwn. Kuruman and Taungs, N. Cape Province],” [= Northern Cape or Northwest Province], South Africa.

Bucephalus typus : Bocage (1866a:48, 1870:68, 1879b:95), Peters (1881:149), Ferreira (1900a:52).

Bucephalus capensis : Bocage (1895a:121).

Dispholidus (Bucephalus) typus : Ferreira (1897b:244).

Dispholidus typus : Schmidt (1933:14), Boulenger (1905:113, 1915:213), Loveridge (1936a:40), Monard (1937b:128, 134), Mertens (1938:441), Bogert (1940:68), Themido (1941:10), FitzSimons (1962:196), Manaças (1973:193), Broadley (1990:252), Spawls and Branch (1995:20), Branch (1998:99), Broadley and Wallach (2002:72), Broadley and Cotterill (2004:51), Broadley et al. (2003:218), Chippaux (2006:159), Trapé and Mané (2006:96), Eimermacher (2012:1), Ceríaco et al. (2016b:79), Wallach et al. (2014:236).

Dispholidus typus punctatus : Branch and McCartney (1992:2).

Dispholidus typus occidentalis : Chirio and LeBreton (2007:422).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The nominotypical subspeies is known from Senegal east across the Sahel to the Horn of Africa, south to the southwestern Cape, excluding areas of rain forest, grassland and desert.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 344): The nominotypical subspecies distribution comprises almost the entire country including

Cabinda Province, with the exception of the desert regions of far southwestern Angola , and the area occupied by D. t. punctatus . Zaire: “S.

Salvador do Congo ” [-6.26667, 14.23333]

( Bocage 1895a:121; Monard 1937b:128).

Luanda: “ Loanda ” [-8.83333, 13.26667] ( Ferreira 1900a:52) . Malanje: “ Duque de Bragança ” [-9.10000, 15.95000] ( Bocage 1866a:48,

1895a:121; Monard 1937b:128); “ Malanje ”

[-9.55000, 16.35000] ( Peters 1881:149; Bocage 1895a:121); “Cangandala National Park”

[-9.84606, 16.72233] (Ceríaco et al. 2016b:79).

Lunda Sul: “Tyihumbwé” [-10.96667,

20.06667] ( Monard 1937b:128, 134); “Mutianvo” [-11.45000, 19.33333] ( Themido 1941:10). MAP 344. Distribution of Dispholidus typus typus in Angola.

Kwanza Norte: “Ambaca” [-9.26667,

15.18333] ( Bocage 1895a:121; Ferreira 1900a:52; Monard 1937b:128); “N’dalla Tando” [-9.30000, 14.91667] ( Ferreira 1903:12); “Cazengo” [-9.33333, 14.76667] ( Ferreira 1900a:52). Kwanza Sul: “Mombolo” [-12.16667, 14.83333] ( Bogert 1940:68). Bié: “Chitau” [-11.43333, 17.15000] ( Schmidt 1933:14). Huambo: “Galanga” [-12.06667, 15.15000] ( Bocage 1895a:121; Monard 1937b:128); “Santo-Amaro” [-12.70000, 15.85000] ( Monard 1937b:134). Benguela: “Quissange” [-12.43333, 14.05000] ( Bocage 1895a:121; Monard 1937b:128); “Quindumbo” [-12.46667, 14.93333] ( Bocage 1895a:121; Monard 1937b:128); “Ebanga” [-12.73333, 14.73333] ( Monard 1937b:134); “Cubal” [-13.03333, 14.25000] (Mertens 1938:441). Huíla: “Caconda” [-13.73333, 15.06667] ( Bocage 1895a:121; Ferreira 1897:244; Loveridge 1936:40; Monard 1937b:128); “Kalukembé” [-13.78333, 14.68333] ( Monard 1937b:128, 134); “Kuvangu/Vila da Ponte” [-14.46667, 16.30000] ( Monard 1937b:128, 134); “Capelongo” [-14.91667, 15.08333] ( Bogert 1940:68); “Huilla” [-15.05000, 13.55000] ( Bocage 1895a:121; Monard 1937b:128).

Cunene: “Mupa” [-16.18333, 15.75000] ( Monard 1937b:134); “Humbe” [-16.68333, 14.90000] ( Bocage 1895a:121; Monard 1937b:128). Cuando Cubango: “approximately 24 km E of Cuito Cuanavale” [-15.18333, 19.38333] (Branch and McCartney 1992:2). Undetermined Locality: “ Rio Cuando” ( Bocage 1895a:121, Monard 1937b:128); “Between Benguella and Bihé” ( Boulenger 1905:113; Monard 1937b:128).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Dispholidus typus is often cited as having been described in 1829 (e.g., FitzSimons 1962) in The Zoological Journal, however, the description first appeared one year earlier in the South African Commercial Advertiser in a short paper that has been reprinted by Ulber (2003) and Branch and Bauer (2005). FitzSimons’ restricted type locality is derived from the stated type locality of Bucephalus viridis Smith, 1841 , a subjective junior synonym of B. typus Smith, 1828 . Four subspecies: D. t. typus , D. t. viridis Smith, 1828 , D. t. kivuensis Laurent, 1955 and D. t. punctatus Laurent, 1955 were recognised in the past. Preliminary genetic analyses carried out by Eimermacher (2012) indicate that multiple distinct lineages may be present, some of which should be resurrected and elevated to species status, including D. t. punctatus Laurent, 1955 from “Dund,” Angola. Eimermacher and Broadley (in prep.) are currently undertaking a detailed revision of the genus. All Angolan material should be reevaluated in order to determine where species boundaries lie. Eimermacher’s (2012) sampling was sparse in southwestern Africa, but his data suggested that central Namibian material was referable to to D. t. viridis ( Smith, 1838) . If this form also reaches southern Angola and is likely valid, as suggested by Eimermacher (2012), then it, rather than D. t. typus , would be the widespread Boomslang in Angola. However, as no published records from Angola have previously been referred to D. t. viridis , we continue to use the nominotypical epithet for Angolan specimens pending relevant genetic data.

Dispholidus typus punctatus Laurent, 1955 SPOTTED BOOMSLANG

Dispholidus typus punctatus Laurent 1955:129 . Holotype: RGMC 17395 (currently MRAC) (collector A. Barros Machado). Type locality: “Dundo,” Lunda Norte Province, Angola.

Dispholidus typus : Laurent (1950a:10, 1954a:57), Manaças (1973:193).

Dispholidus typus punctatus : Hellmich (1957b:68), Laurent (1964a:114), Thys van den Audenaerde (1966:35), Broadley (1990:255), Spawls and Branch (1995:21), Branch (1998:99), Broadley and Wallach (2002:72), Broadley et al. (2003:218), Broadley and Cotterill (2004:51), Eimermacher (2012:2), Branch and Conradie (2015:200).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The subspecies is known from forest regions of southern Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Zambia.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 345): Dispholidus typus punctatus occurs mainly in the eastern regions of the country. Lunda Norte: “Dundo”

[-7.36667, 20.83333] ( Laurent 1950a:10,

1954a:57, 1955:129, 1964a:114; Thys van den

Audenaerde 1966:34; Broadley and Wallach

2002:72; Eimermacher 2012:23); “Dundo, R.

Mussungue” [-7.41667, 20.83333] ( Thys van den Audenaerde 1966:35); “Mwaoka (± 45 km

S. Dundo)” [-7.65000, 20.85000] ( Thys van den Audenaerde 1966:34); “Carumbo”

[-7.74422, 19.95467] (Branch and Conradie

2015:200); “R. Camaiala” [-8.05000,

18.61667] ( Thys van den Audenaerde

1966:34); “R. Capemba” [-9.25167, 19,55808]

( Thys van den Audenaerde 1966:35). Lunda

Sul: “Alto Cuílo” [-10.01667, 19.55000] ( Laurent 1964a:114); “Chutes du Cuango-Muqué,

Alto Chicapa” [-10.76667, 19.20000] ( Laurent

1964a:114). Moxico: “Fazenda Santa Cruz, MAP 345. Distribution of Dispholidus typus punctatus in Luso” [-11.78333, 19.91667] (Manaças Angola.

1973:193-194); “environs du lac Calundo” [-11.80000, 20.86667] ( Laurent 1964a:114); “Calombe, Luso” [-11.83333, 19.93333] ( Manaças 1973:193-194); “Cazombo” [-11.88333, 22.91667] ( Laurent 1964a:114). Huambo: “Bela-Vista” [-12.36667, 16.20000] ( Hellmich 1957b:68); “Nova Lisboa ” [-12.76667, 15.73333] ( Laurent 1955:129). Benguela: “Alto Cubal” [-13.03333, 14.25000] ( Hellmich 1957b:68).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Although Broadley and Wallach (2002) considered punctatus a synonym of D. typus, Eimermacher (2012) indicated that multiple distinct lineages of boomslang should be probably be resurrected and elevated to species status, including D. t. punctatus . On this basis we list this form as a distinct taxon, but retain its subspecific status pending further data. All Angolan material should be reevaluated in order to determine where species boundaries lie. It seems likely on biogeographic grounds that some of the more southern and western records previously attributed to D. t. punctatus may, in fact, belong to the nominotypical form or to D. t. viridis (see Notes und Dispholidus typus typus ).