Eumecia Bocage, 1870

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 : 239-240

Genus Eumecia Bocage, 1870

Eumecia anchietae anchietae Bocage, 1870 WESTERN SERPENTIFORM SKINK

Eumecia Anchietae Bocage 1870:66 , pl. 1. Holotype: MBL specimen number unnkown (collector J.A.

d’Anchieta) destroyed by fire 18 March 1978. Type locality: “le plateau de la Huilla dans l’intérieur de

Mossamedes” [= Huíla plateau] Huíla Province, Angola. Lygosoma anchietae : Boulenger (1887:316), Themido (1941:8), Frade (1963:252). Lygosoma (Eumecia) Anchietae : Bocage (1895a:50, 1897a:196). Riopa (Eumecia) anchietae : Smith (1937:230). Eumecia anchieta : Mittleman (1952:10). Riopa anchietae : Hellmich (1957b:58), Loveridge (1957:216). Eumecia anchietae : Greer (1967:1), Broadley (1965c:16), Spawls et al. (2004:147), Ceríaco et al. (2016a:56).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The species is known from Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 197): The species occurs mainly in central-southwest

Angola. Huambo: “Galanga” [-12.06667,

15.15000] ( Bocage 1895a:50); “Bela-Vista”

[-12.36667, 16.20000] ( Hellmich 1957b:58).

Benguela: “Alto Cubal” [-13.03333,

14.25000] ( Hellmich 1957b:58). Huíla :

“Caconda” [-13.73333, 15.06667] ( Bocage

1895a:50; Themido 1941:8); “ Huíla ”

[-15.05000, 13.55000] ( Bocage 1870:66,

1895a:50, 1897a:196; Boulenger 1887:316;

Loveridge 1957:216; Ceríaco et al. 2016a:56);

“Kuvangu” [-14.46667, 16.30000] ( Monard

1937b:95). Cunene: “Riv. Mbalé ” [-15.16667,

16.75000] ( Monard 1937b:95).

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

Bocage (1870) described the genus Eumecia to MAP 197. Distribution of Eumecia anchietae anchietae emphasize similarity between this species and in Angola.

Eumeces . However, Boulenger (1887) transferred E. anchietae to Lygosoma (Gray, 1828) where it remained until Smith (1937) revived Eumecia for a subgenus of Riopa . Mittleman (1952) gave it a full generic rank in his classification, as recognized by Greer (1967) and subsequent authors, although Loveridge (1957) continued to use Lygosoma . Metallinou et al. (2016) demonstrated that Eumecia , which shows extreme matrotrophy, is sister to Lubuya ivensii , the only other African mabuyine skink to exhibit such a high prenatal maternal investment.

Eumecia anchietae major Laurent, 1964 LUNDA WESTERN SERPENTIFORM SKINK (Endemic)

Eumecia anchietae major Laurent 1964a:80 . Holotype: MD 6002 (collector A. Serralheiro). Type locality: “Calonda, steppe, Lunda,” Lunda Norte Province, Angola.

Lygosoma anchietae : Monard (1937b:95).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not

Evaluated.

Global distribution: Only known from

Angola.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 198):

Lunda Norte: “Calonda” [-8.41667,

20.53333] ( Laurent 1964a:80). Lunda Sul :

“Lunda, near Dala” [-11.03333, 20.20000]

( Monard 1937b:95).

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

Monard (1937b) first noted that a specimen from Lunda Norte Province was larger and differed in some features form the more typical southern forms. Laurent (1964a) subsequently described Eumecia anchietae major for these northern specimens. The validity of the named subspecies of Eumecia anchietae has not been rigorously assessed. MAP 198. Distribution of Eumecia anchietae major in Angola.