Atractaspis Smith, 1849

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 : 323-327

Genus Atractaspis Smith, 1849

Atractaspis bibronii Smith, 1849 BIBRON’S STILETTO SNAKE

A tractaspis bibronii Smith 1849a : pl. 71 (see Notes below). Syntypes: BMNH 1946.1.18.19 (formerly 83.7.30.5) (collector A. Smith) and one unlocated specimen (fide Wallach et al. 2014). Type locality: “eastern districts of the Cape Colony” in error (see Notes below).

Atractaspis Bibroni : Bocage (1867c:227, 1870:68, 1895a:141).

Atractaspis bibronii : Boulenger (1896:515, 1915:223), Mertens (1937a:16, 1938a:442), Tilbury and Branch (1989:327), Broadley (1991a:498), Spawls and Branch (1995:31), Spawls et al. (2004:440), Nagy et al. (2005:226), Dobiey and Vogel (2007:21), Bates et al. (2014:349), Wallach et al. (2014:63), Branch and Conradie (2015:200).

Atractaspis bibroni rostrata : Laurent (1950a:11, 1950b:33, 1954a:62, 1964a:122), Thys van den Audenaerde (1966:36), Manaças (1981:42).

Atractaspis bibroni x rostrata : Broadley (1959:72).

Atractaspis bibronii bibronii : FitzSimons (1962:319), Broadley (1990:219).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The species is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, extending from Kenya and southern Somalia, southwards to Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, western and northern Zambia, Mozambique to Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and eastern portions of South Africa, as well as Swaziland.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 282): The species has been recorded in central western

Angola and in the northeastern part of the country. Lunda Norte: “Dundo” [-7.36667,

20.83333] ( Laurent 1950a:11, 1954a:62,

1964a:122; Manaças 1981:42); “Dundo, Barrage de la Luachimo” [-7.38333, 20.85000]

( Thys van den Audenaerde 1966:36); “Carumbo” [-7.74422, 19.95467] (Branch and Conradie 2015:200). Benguela: “Catumbella”

[-12.43333, 13.55000] ( Bocage 1867c:227,

1895a:141; Monard 1937b:141; Laurent

1950b:32; Manaças 1981:41); “Benguella”

[-12.58333, 13.41667] ( Bocage 1895a:141;

Monard 1937b:141; Laurent 1950b:32; Manaças 1981:41); “Dombe” [-12.95000, 13.10000]

( Bocage 1895a:141; Monard 1937b:141; Lau- MAP 282. Distribution of Atractaspis bibronii in rent 1950b:32; Manaças 1981:41); “Cubal” Angola.

[-13.03333, 14.25000] ( Monard 1937b:141; Mertens 1937a:16, 1938a:442; Laurent 1950b:32; Manaças 1981:41).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Smith’s (1849) plate gives his new species name as Atractaspis bibronii , however, the accompanying three unnumbered pages of text give the name as A. inornatus , except for the last paragraph in which it is implied that the species is named for Bibron. Atractaspis bibronii does not occur in the area given by Smith as the type locality. FitzSimons (1962) considered the actual source of the types to be “Natal” and Broadley (1990) likewise considered the type locality “almost certainly Natal,” but Broadley (1991a) suggested that “the northern Cape Province or the western Transvaal” was the likely source of the surviving BMNH syntype, as scale counts of rhte surviving syntype were inconsistent with specimens from KwaZulu-Natal. Laurent (1950b) in his Atractaspis revision, treated A. rostrata Günther, 1868 as a subspecies of A. bibronii and later ( Laurent 1964a) cited five specimens from Lunda Norte Province, Angola. Broadley (1959) recognized an intermediate form, A. b. bibronii x rostrata , with presumed extensive intergradation covering most of Zimbabwe ( Broadley 1991a). Currently, A. b. rostrata is considered a synonym of A. bibronii , although Nagy et al. (2005) noted that there is considerable intraspecific variation within Atractaspis bibronii , suggesting that several cryptic taxa are currently subsumed under this name. Spawls and Branch (1995) and Dobiey and Vogel (2007) considered Atractaspis bibronii limited to the western regions of Angola, from Luanda to Benguela Province, however, in addition to Laurent (1964a), the species was recently collected by Branch and Conradie (2015) in “Carumbo,” Lunda Norte Province.

Atractaspis boulengeri Mocquard, 1897 BOULENGER’S STILETTO SNAKE

Atractaspis Boulengeri Mocquard 1897a:54 . Holotype: MNHN 1896.562 (collector E. Haug). Type locality:

“les environs de Lambaréné, sur le bas Ogooué, Gabon ” [= Lambarébé, Moyen-Ogooué], Gabon. Atractaspis boulengeri mixta : Manaças (1981:40). Atractaspis boulengeri : Spawls and Branch (1995:32), Chippaux (2006:193), Dobiey and Vogel (2007:22),

Wallach et al. (2014:63).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The species is known from across Central Africa from southern Cameroon to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ocurrences in Angola: The species presumably occurs in northwestern Angola, including the Cabinda enclave, Angola. There are no published records for this species for Angola, however Manaças (1981), Spawls and Branch (1995) and Dobiey and Vogel (2007) suggested its occurrence in northern Angola.

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Mocquard’s original description in the Bulletin du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle (1897a) was reprinted in Bulletin de la Société Philomathique de Paris in the same year (1897b) ( Wallach et al. 2014).

Atractaspis congica Peters, 1877 CONGO STILETTO SNAKE

Atractaspis congica Peters 1877a:616 , pl. Figs. 2, 2a–2c . Holotype: ZMB 8644 (collector F.W.A. von Mechow). Type locality: “Chinchoxo (Westafrika)” ( Peters 1877a:616) [= Chinchoxo, Cabinda encalve], Angola.

Atractaspis congica : Peters (1881:150), Bocage (1887a:187, 1895a:142, 1897b:210), Ferreira (1904:116), Boulenger (1905:114), Schmidt (1933:15), Monard (1937b:141, 144), Themido (1941:11), Spawls and Branch (1995:33), Branch (1998:63), Broadley and Cotterill (2004:46), Broadley et al. (2003:83), Wallach et al. (2014:63).

Atractaspis aterrima : Bocage (1873a:223), Boulenger (1915:223), Chirio and LeBreton (2007:624).

Atractaspis congica congica : Hellmich (1957a:76, 1957b:76), Laurent (1950b:26), Manaças (1981:40), Chirio and LeBreton (2007:628).

Atractaspis congica orientalis : Laurent (1964a:122-123), Manaças (1981:41), Broadley (1990:221).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The species occurs from Cameroon through Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola and northern Zambia.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 283): The species is widely distributed across much of

Angola. Cabinda: “Chinchoxo” [-5.10000,

12.10000] ( Peters 1877a:616; Bocage

1895a:142; Laurent 1950b:26; Manaças

1981:40); “ Cabinda ” [-5.55000, 12.18333]

(Manaças 1981:40). Lunda Sul: “Alto Cuílo”

[-10.01667, 19.55000] ( Laurent 1964a:123);

“Mutianvo” [-11.45000, 19.33333] ( Themido

1941:11). Moxico: “environs du lac Calundo

(arredores do Lago Calundo)” [-11.80000,

20.86667] ( Laurent 1964a:122; Manaças

1981:41). Malanje: “Duque de Bragança ”

[-9.10000, 15.95000] ( Boulenger 1905:114;

Laurent 1950b:27; Manaças 1981:40); “PungoAdongo” [-9.66667, 15.58333] ( Laurent

1950b:27; Manaças 1981:40). Kwanza Norte:

MAP 283. Distribution of Atractaspis congica in Angola. “Piri-Dembos” [-8.53333, 14.43333] ( Hellmich 1957b:76; Manaças 1981:40); “Golungo Alto” [-9.13333, 14.76667] ( Boulenger 1905:114; Ferreira 1906:169; Monard 1937b:141; Laurent 1950b:27; Manaças 1981:40); “Cazengo” [-9.33333, 14.76667] ( Ferreira 1904:116; Monard 1937b:141). Bié: “Chitau” [-11.43333, 17.15000] ( Schmidt 1933:15; Laurent 1950b:26; Manaças 1981:40). Huambo: “Bimbi” [-11.81667, 15.83333] ( Monard 1937b:141, 144; Laurent 1950b:26; Manaças 1981:40); “Galanga” [-12.06667, 15.15000] ( Bocage 1895a:142; Monard 1937b:141; Laurent 1950b:26; Manaças 1981:40); “Bela Vista” [-12.56667, 16.21667] ( Hellmich 1957b:76; Manaças 1981:40). Benguela: “Quibula” [-12.28333, 14.68333] ( Bocage 1895a:142; Monard 1937b:141; Laurent 1950b:26; Manaças 1981:40); “Quindumbo” [-12.46667, 14.93333] ( Bocage 1895a:142; Monard 1937b:141; Laurent 1950b:26; Manaças 1981:40); “Entre Rios” [-13.01667, 14.63333] ( Hellmich 1957a:76); Manaças 1981:40); “Alto Cubal” [-13.03333, 14.25000] ( Hellmich 1957b:76; Manaças 1981:40); “Hanha” [-13.30000, 14.20000] ( Bocage 1897a:210; Laurent 1950b:26; Manaças 1981:40). Huíla: “Caconda” [-13.73333, 15.06667] ( Bocage 1895a:142; Monard 1937b:141; Laurent 1950b:26; Manaças 1981:40); “Huíla” [-15.08333, 13.55000] ( Bocage 1873a:223, 1895a:142; Monard 1937b:141; Manaças 1981:40). Undetermined Locality: “Cuango” ( Peters 1881:150; Laurent 1950b:27; Manaças 1981:40) (Malanje Province impossible to georeference: See History Section for more detailed information).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Laurent (1950b) noted that a subspecific distinction probably exists between populations separated by the Congo River, as there are considerable differeces in terms of dorsal and ventral scales between the Angolan populations and those from the north. This species is sympatric with the Reticulate Stiletto Snake, Atractaspis reticulata ( Sjöstedt, 1896) , in northern Angola and around the mouth of the Zaire River (Spawls and Branch 1995).

Atractaspis irregularis ( Reinhardt, 1843) VARIABLE STILETTO ASP

Elaps irregularis Reinhardt 1843:264 , pl. 3, figs. 1–3. Holotype: ZMUC 6885 (collector J.R. Chenon). Type locality: “Guinea,” in error, “coast of Ghana ” fide Hughes and Barry (1969:1032), resticted to the “vicinity of Accra, Ghana ” by Rasmussen and Hughes (1997).

Atractaspis irregularis : Günther (1865a:480), Peters (1877a:616), Bocage (1895a:143), Boulenger (1915:223), Monard (1937b:141), Frade (1963:253), Spawls and Branch (1995:36), Chippaux (2006:186), Wallach et al. (2014:65).

Atractaspis corpulentus : Bocage (1866a:49).

Atractaspis irregularis parkeri : Laurent (1950b:17), Manaças (1981:41), Chippaux (2006:186).

Atractaspis irregularis irregularis : Chirio and LeBreton (2007:634).

Atractaspis irregularis : Wallach et al. (2014:65).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern.

Global distribution: The species is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa from Sierra Leone to the Central African Republic to South Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia and south to Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Angola.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 284): The species has been reported from the northwestern regions of the country, including the

Cabinda enclave. Cabinda: “Chinchoxo”

[-5.10000, 12.10000] ( Peters 1877a:616; Laurent 1950b:17; Manaças 1981:41); “Molembo”

[-5.33333, 12.20000] ( Bocage 1895a:143;

Monard 1937b:141; Manaças 1981:41). Zaire:

“ S. Salvador do Congo ” [-6.26667, 14.23333]

( Bocage 1895a:143; Monard 1937b:141; Laurent 1950b:17; Manaças 1981:40). Malanje:

“Pungo Andongo” [-9.66667, 15.58333] ( Günther 1865a:480).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: In addition to the nominate form, which occurs in

Angola, four other subspecies are currently MAP 284. Distribution of Atractaspis irregularis in recognized. Angola.

Atractaspis reticulata heterochilus Boulenger, 1901 RETICULATE STILETTO SNAKE

Atractaspis heterochilus Boulenger 1901:13 , pl. V, fig. 1. Type: MRAC 9321 (collector Capt. Hecq). Type locality: “des environs d’Albertville, sur le Tanganika” [= Kalemie, Tanganyika Province], Democratic

Republic of Congo. Atractaspis reticulata heterochilus : Hellmich (1957b:77), Spawls and Branch (1995:39). Atractaspis reticulata heterochilus ( Atractaspis heterochilus ): Manaças (1981:42). Atractaspis reticulata heterochilus : Chippaux (2006:192), Chirio and LeBreton (2007:636), Dobiey and Vogel

(2007:30). Atractaspis reticulata : Wallach et al. (2014:66).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Data Deficient. Global distribution: The subspecies is known from southern Cameroon, through Equatorial Guinea, Congo, large portions of the Democratic Republic of Congo to northwestern Angola, possibly including the Cabinda enclave.

Ocurrences in Angola ( Map 285 ): The species occurs in the northwestern regions of the country. Kwanza Norte: “Piri-Dembos” [-8.56667, 14.50000] ( Hellmich 1957b:77; Manaças 1981:42) .

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Chippaux (2006, 2009) incorrectly placed the type locality of Atractaspis heterochilus in Tanzania. Dobiey and Vogel (2007) indicated a presumed range across northwestern Angola including Cabinda, but did not show its distribution as including the type locality of Albertville, or any ppart of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Angola was not included in the distribution as stated by Wallach et al. (2014).

Figures

FIGURE 2. The topography of Angola (after Sayre et al. 2013)

MAP 285. Distribution of Atractaspis reticulata heterochilus in Angola.