Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia (Laurenti, 1768)

Rasmussen, Jens Bødtker, Chirio, Laurent & Ineich, Ivan, 2000, The Herald Snakes (Crotaphopeltis) of the Central African Republic, including a systematic review of C. hippocrepis, Zoosystema 22 (3), pp. 585-600 : 588-591

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5394650
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/BB6887E1-FF9E-7369-52B0-FF6EFD4BFB64
treatment provided by	Marcus
scientific name	Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia (Laurenti, 1768)
status

Treatment

Coronella hotamboeia Laurenti, 1768: 85 (Description based on fig. 6, plate xxxiii in Seba [1734]).

TYPE LOCALITY. — “ India orientali”, in this case Africa. Leptodira rufescens Gmelin, 1789: 1094 (Description based on fig. 6, plate xxxiii in Seba [1734]). – Mocquard 1896: 45.

Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia hotamboeia – Loveridge 1937: 276. – Roux-Esteve 1965: 68.

Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia – Joger 1990: 95 (part).

DIAGNOSIS

An African savanna living species of Crotaphopeltis with the following character combination: (17) 19 (21) scale rows at mid-body, dorsal scales keeled, at least posteriorly; 12- 18 + II + 1 maxillary teeth; 31-57 (male) and 25- 51 (female) subcaudals; hemipenis extending to subcaudal scute No. seven to fourteen and provided with three distinctly enlarged, stout, proximal spines; dorsum various shades of grey, brown, olive or black, usually with scattered white specks which may form transverse bands in juveniles and subadults, temple with a dark, bluish-black or purplish-black mark which may extend backwards to encircle the occiput and reach the last, or the last and penultimate, and rarely also the antepenultimate infralabial; venter and underside of tail white, cream or pale brown, exceptionally with some dark pigmentation.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIMENS FROM THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Lepidosis

Rostral 1.4 to 2.3 times as broad as deep, usually in broad contact with internasals; frontal 1.3 to 1.9 times as long as broad ( Table 1), 1.0 to 1.6 time as long as its distance from end of snout, and 1.1 to 1.6 time as long as the suture between the parietals; one loreal, usually longer than deep; one preocular, two postoculars (for variation see Table 1); usually 1 + 2 temporals (for variation see Table 1); usually eight supralabials, third to fifth usually entering orbit (for variation see

Table 1); usually 10 infralabials, first five on each side usually in contact with an anterior chinshield (for various combinations see Table 1); three to four rows of chin-shields and enlarged median gulars (for variation see Table 1), followed by one to three preventrals.

Dorsal scales keeled with well defined single or double apical pits, the latter being mainly confined to the flanks. Scale row formula (body) 17- 19-15 shared by most of the specimens (for variation see Table 1). Scale row reduction formula (tail) as follows:

8 (1-6) - 6 (4-17) - 4 (12-33) - 2 (32-46) male (n = 100) and 8 (1-5) - 6 (3-12) - 4 (9-28) - 2 (29-41) female (n = 135)

Ventrals rounded, 157-180 in male (n = 99), and 156-176 in female (n = 135); anal entire; subcaudals paired, 36-48 in male (n = 96), 33-44 in female (n = 129).

Dentition

Maxillary teeth 14-17 + II + 1 (x = 15.5, s = 0.7, n = 102); palatine teeth 10-11 (x = 10.7, s = 0.4, n = 30). No sexual difference in either count.

Dimensions

Largest male 79 cm; largest female 68 cm; smallest specimen (with umbilical scar) 15 cm.

Hemipenes

In situ the organs extend to SC No. 7-10 (x = 8.7, s = 1.0, n = 41). The hemipenes are characterised by three enlarged spines at the lower truncus.

Internal morphology

Tongue sheath extending to ventral scute (VS) No. 15-21 in male (n = 45), 13-19 in female (n = 44), giving relative position 8.8-12.5% VS in male and 8.0-11.2% VS in female.

Tip of heart extending to ventral scute No. 32-38 in male (n = 50), 31-39 in female (n = 45), giving relative positions 18.8-21.9% VS in male and 18.4-22.7% VS in female. Trachea extending to heart tip or up to 1 VS posterior to the heart. Left lung 1-3 VS long.

Anterior end of liver situated at VS No. 39-50 in male (n = 50) and 39-47 in female (n = 40),

giving relative position 23.1-27.9% VS in male and 23.6-28.7% VS in female. Absolute distance heart tip to anterior end of liver 6-14 VS in male and 6-12 VS in female.

Right kidney longer than left one; absolute length (right/left) 22-33/18-28 VS in male (n = 26) and 20-28/19-24 VS in female (n = 18) giving relative lengths 13.5-19.5/10.6-16.7% VS in male and 11.9-17.0/11.3-14.5% VS in female. Anterior end of kidneys situated at VS No. 122- 140/ 128-145 in male, 125-142/ 130-144 in female, giving relative position 76.8-82.4/79.8- 85.4% VS in male and 78.6-84.5/81.8-85.7% VS in female. Posterior ends of kidneys situated at VS No. 152-168/ 152-168 in male and 152- 165/ 153-166 in female, giving relative position 94.1-97.1/94.7-97.7% VS in male and 93.9- 97.1/94.5-97.7% VS in female.

Anal glands extending to subcaudal scute No. 2-4 (x = 3.1, s = 0.4, n = 29) in male and to 3-5, (x = 4.1, s = 0.6, n = 36) in female.

Coloration (in life)

Dorsum yellowish grey, shading paler until one scale row above ventrals; when body is inflated, white spots on base of some of the scales form indistinct, irregular transverse bands; temple black with a metallic bluish hue which may extend backwards to encircle the occiput and reach the last, or the last and the penultimate, and rarely also the antepenultimate infralabial. Venter and underside of tail dirty white. Lips white in juveniles, the supralabials being overlaid by pigmented areas with increasing size of specimens, often leaving only the fifth and the sixth supralabial with a central white area.

Coloration (in preservative)

Dorsum various shades of grey or brown, usually with scattered white specks which may form transverse bands in juveniles and subadults; temple with a dark grey or bluish-black mark which may extend backwards to encircle the occiput and reach the last, or the last and penultimate, and rarely also the antepenultimate infralabial. Venter and underside of tail white, cream or yellowish, tail occasionally with a pigmented median stripe. Lips white or pale cream in juveniles, the supralabials being overlaid by pigment with increasing size of specimens.

Biology

Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia has eyes of moderate to large size (greatest horizontal diameter of the eye 0.7-1.0 [x = 0.8, s = 0.1, n = 68] time length of snout) and vertical pupils, thus indicating a nocturnal way of life as in other Crotaphopeltis species. In the Central African Republic C. hotamboeia occurs in Guinean and Sudanian savannas where it lives sympatrically with C. hippocrepis . It also occurs in Sudano-Sahelian areas where it is sympatric with C. degeni . The Herald Snake predominantly preys upon frogs but may take geckos and other lizards.

By palpating bellies of gravid females (n = 3), four to ten eggs per female have been registered.

Distribution

Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia is distributed in tropical Africa (excluding rain forest areas), south over the eastern half of southern Africa to the western Cape Province, but absent from the dry western half of southern Africa; found from sea-level up to altitudes of nearly 2 000 metres (Broadley 1983). In the Central African Republic it was recorded from all the collection sites at Fig. 1 View FIG , but is most common in the humid lower parts of the country.

Localities and material examined

Central African Republic. Abiras (Mocquard 1896), MNHN 1895.335. — Am Dafok, MNHN 1996.6496. — Bambari, MNHN 1992.4651-53, 1994.3259, 1997.3511. — Bamingui, MNHN 1997.3512. — Banga, MNHN 1997.3513. — Bangbali, MNHN 1996.6497. — Bangui (Joger 1990), MHNG 2033.86-87; MNHN 1991.317, 1992.4626, 1994.7377-80. — Bayanga, MNHN 1991.314, 1996.6498. — Belemboké, MNHN 1994.3260-61, 1996.6499-6504, 1997.3514-15. — Berberati, MNHN 1994.7381-83, 1994.3262-65, 1996.6505-06, 1997.3516. — Birao, MNHN 1994.3266-67, 1996.6507-12, 1997.3517-20. — Boali, MNHN 1992.4588, 1994.3268-71, 1994.7384-87, 1996.6513. — Bohou, MNHN 1998.224. — Bossangoa, MNHN 1992.4578, 1994.7388-91, 1994.7393-7400, 1994.7402-04. — Bossembélé, MNHN 1997.3521. — Boukoko (Roux- Estève 1965), MNHN 1964.473-84. — Brandji-Préo, MNHN 1996.6514. — Bria, MNHN 1996.6515. — Dahal Azrak, MNHN 1996.6516-17. — Delembé, MNHN 1996.6518-21, 1998.225. — Elim, MHNG 2235.67. — Gamboula, MNHN 1994.3272. — Gordil, MNHN 1996.6522-23, 1998.227-28, 1998.489. — Gribingui (Joger 1990), MNHN 1921.18. — Kaga Bandoro (Fort Crampel), MCZ 55419; MNHN 1998.250, 1998.252-53. — Kouki, MNHN 1992.4687, 1994.3277, 1994.3284-87, 1994.7405-09, 1994.7412-18, 1994.7420-22, 1994.7425-26, 1994.7428-36, 1994.7439-41, 1994.7443-46. — La Gounda, MNHN 1992.4576- 77, 1994.7447-50, 1998.226. — La Maboké (Roux- Esteve 1965), MNHN 1963.883. — Manovo, MNHN 1998.490. — Mboki, MNHN 1994.3288. — Ndélé, MNHN 1996.6523-24. — Ngotto, MNHN 1996.6525-27. — Nola (Loveridge 1937), MCZ 52138. — Ouanda-Djalle, MNHN 1996.6528. — Ouazoua, MNHN 1996.6529. — Ouham region, MNHN 1922.75-77. — Paoua, MNHN 1992.4583, 1992.4589-92, 1994.3289-93, 1994.7451-64. — Route de Possel (route de Bangui à Sibut), MNHN 1992.4580. — Sangba, MNHN 1994.3328, 1994.3516, 1994.8160, 1996.6530, 1996.6535-38, 1997.3505-06, 1997.3509, 1997.3548, 1997.3597- 3602, 1998.240-49, 1998.491-492. — Seko, MNHN 1994.3294-95, 1996.6533. — Sibut (Krebedje), MNHN 1904.197. — Sogesca (S. of Bambari), MNHN 1992.4587. — Soumba, 1994.3296-98. — Zimba, MNHN 1991.313, 1992.4579, 1992.4581- 82, 1992.4584-86, 1992.4633-39, 1994.7465-68, 1994.3299-306, 1996.6534.

REMARKS

A thorough revision of this almost Panafrican species is being undertaken (Rasmussen in prep.).