Namibiana Hedges, Adalsteinsson and Branch, 2009

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 : 301-303

Genus Namibiana Hedges, Adalsteinsson and Branch, 2009

Namibiana labialis ( Sternfeld, 1908) DAMARA THREAD SNAKE

Glauconia labialis Sternfeld 1908:92 . Holotype: ZMB 21691 (collector O. Dempwolff). Type locality: “Outgo (D. S. W. Africa)” ( Sternfeld 1908:92), [= Outjo, Kunene Region], Namibia.

Leptotyphlops labialis Broadley and Broadley (1999:14) , McDiarmid et al. (1999:34).

Namibiana labialis : Adalsteinsson et al. (2009:13), Wallach et al. (2014:464).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The species is known from southwestern Angola and northern Nambia.

Ocurrences in Angola: The species is known from southern Angola , in Cunene Province near the Namibian border. Cunene: “Miranda” (Broadley and Broadley 1999:14) .

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Most authors considered the holotype of this taxon to be lost or unidentified (e.g., McDiarmid et al. 1999; Bauer et al. 2002), however, ZMB 21691, although not marked as a type in the ZMB catalogue, is fully consistent with the description. Adalsteinsson et al. (2009) found deep genetic divergence between Leptotyphlops occidentalis and other species of Leptotyphlops . On this basis and on evidence from shared morphology they designated a new genus, Namibiana for members of the Leptotyphlops rostrata (Bocage, 1866) group (sensu Broadley and Broadley 1999), to which L. occidentalis belongs.

Namibiana latifrons ( Sternfeld, 1908) BENGUELA THREAD SNAKE

Glauconia latifrons Sternfeld 1908:93 . Lectotype: BMNH 64.6 .14.5 (collector J.J. Monteiro) designated by

Broadley and Watson (1976). Type locality: “ Benguela ”, Benguela Province, Angola. Stenostoma nigricans (part): Bocage (1867b:224). Glauconia scutifrons (part): Boulenger (1893:68). Stenostoma scutifrons (part): Peters (1865:262), Bocage (1895a:71). See notes below regarding Peters’ (1865)

application of names. St [enostoma]. scutatum Peters (1865:262) , unavailable name (see notes below). Glauconia latifrons : Monard (1937b:106). Leptotyphlops scutifrons (part): Bauer et al. (1995:77, 2002:169), McDiarmid et al. (1999:41). Leptotyphlops latifrons : Broadley and Broadley (1999:14). Namibiana latifrons : Adalsteinsson et al. (2009:13), Wallach et al. (2014:464).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The species is known from western Angola and southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo (Bas-Congo).

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 262): The species occurs in western Angola. Kwanza

Sul: “Novo Redondo” [-11.20000, 13.85000]

( Bocage 1867b:224; 1895a:71; Monard

1937b:106). Benguela: “Lobito Bay ”

[-12.35000, 13.55000] (Broadley and

Broadley 1999:14); “Catumbella” [-12.43333,

13.55000] ( Bocage 1867b:224; 1895a:71;

Monard 1937b:106; Broadley and Broadley

1999:14); “Benguella” [-12.58333, 13.41667]

( Peters 1865:621, Boulenger 1893:68; Bauer et al. 1995:77; Broadley and Broadley 1999:14;

Wallach et al. 2014:464).

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

Peters (1854) described Stenostoma scutifrons from the type locality “Sena” in Mozambique .

Boulenger (1893) later allocated two specimens from “Benguella” to this taxon. Sternfeld MAP 262. Distribution of Namibiana latifrons in Angola. (1908) recognized that the east and west African forms were distinctive from one another and proposed the name latifrons for the Angolan material. Boundy (2014) made the case that Peters himself had validly proposed the name Stenostoma scutatum Peters (1865) for the same Benguela material examined by Boulenger (1893), despite the fact that Peters ultimately concluded that the Mozambiquan and Angolan specimens were conspecific and assignable to S. scutifrons . However, because Peters’ name had not been used subsequently and Glauconia latifrons Sternfeld, 1908 had been in continuous use for over a century, Boundy (2014) argued that the former name should be treated as a nomen oblitum and the later as a nomen protectum, although he did not use those terms. Although Boundy (2014) invoked Article 11 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature to support his interpretation of the availability of Peters’ name for this taxon, we disagree. Article 11.5 states “To be available, a name must be used as valid for a taxon when proposed, unless it was first published as a junior synonym and subsequently made available under the provisions of Article 11.6.1.” As S. scutatum was first proposed as a synonym and was not treated as an available name prior to 1961, it is unavailable under the Code. Bauer et al. (1995) incorrectly included “Benguella [ Angola] (Westafrika)” as part of the type locality for S. scutifrons (Bauer et al. 2002) . Adalsteinsson et al. (2009), transferred latifrons to the new genus Namibiana . It is possible that some specimens from western Angola currently assigned to Leptotyphlops scutifrons may represent this species, and such material should thus be carefully rexamined.

Namibiana rostrata (Bocage, 1886) ANGOLAN BEAKED THREAD SNAKE (Endemic)

Stenostoma rostratum : Bocage 1886a:173. Holotype: MBL specimen number unknown (collector J. d’Anchieta), destroyed by fire 18 March 1978. Type locality: “envoyé du Humbe, sur les bords du Cunene ”

[= Humbe] Cunene Province, Angola. Stenostoma rostratum : Bocage (1895a:71, 1897a:199). Glauconia rostrata : Boulenger (1915:198). Leptotyphlops rostratus : Broadley and Broadley (1999:18), McDiarmid et al. (1999:40). Namibiana rostrata : Bates (2010), Wallach et al. (2014:464).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Data Deficient.

Global distribution: The species is endemic to Angola.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 263): The species is known from western portions of the country, from the type locality, “ Humbe ” north to “ Luanda.” Malanje: “ Vana e Lumbe ”

(Broadley and Broadley 1999:18). Luanda:

“ Luanda ” [-8.83333, 13.26667] (Broadley and

Broadley 1999:18). Huíla: “W of Huíla ”

[-15.05000, 13.55000] (Broadley and Broadley

1999:18). Cunene: “envoyé du Humbe, sur les bords du Cunene (Humbe)” [-16.68333,

14.90000] ( Bocage 1886a:173, 1895a:71,

1897a:199; Broadley and Broadley 1999:18;

Wallach et al. 2014:464). Undetermined

Locality: “without precise location” ( Bocage

1895a:71; Boulenger 1915:198; Broadley and

Broadley 1999:18).

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

Broadley and Broadley (1999) provided some MAP 263. Distribution of Namibiana rostrata in Angola. new data for the species in Angola, increasing the distribution range further north from the type locality. The generic map for Namibiana provided by Adelsteinsson et al. (2009) shows no species occurring north of Kwanza Sul.