Mopaneveldophis Figueroa, McKelvy, Grismer, Bell and Lailvaux, 2016

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 : 389

Genus Mopaneveldophis Figueroa, McKelvy, Grismer, Bell and Lailvaux, 2016

Mopaneveldophis zebrinus (Broadley and Schätti, “1997” 1999) MOPANEVELD SNAKE

Coluber zebrinus Broadley and Schätti “1997” 1999:172, figs. 2–3, 5. Holotype: SMWN 8046 (collectors

M. Lindeque and M. Griffin). Type locality: “near the Cunene River, at Ruacana, western Owamboland ,

Namibia.” Coluber zebrinus : Bauer et al. (2001:79). Hemerophis zebrinus : Wallach et al. (2014:319). Mopaneveldophis zebrinus : Figueroa et al. (2016:23).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated.

Global distribution: The species is known from northwestern Namibia.

Ocurrences in Angola: The species is expected to occur in southern areas of Namibe and Cunene provinces, near the Cunene River .

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Although the date on the paper in which this species was described is 1997, there was a significant delay in publication and the actual date is 1999 (fide B. Schätti, pers. comm., Oct. 2016). Bauer et al. (2001) suggested that this species would likely eventually be added to the herpetofauna of Angola, based on the similarities of its typical habitat with the adjacent southwestern regions of Angola. Wallach et al. (2014) were the first to allocate this species to Hemerophis , but provided no justification for this. Subsequently Figueroa et al. (2016), based on molecular phylogenetic data, erected a new genus, Mopaneveldophis , to accommodate the species.