Xenocalamus mechowii Peters, 1881

Pietersen, Darren W., Pietersen, Errol W. & Conradie, Werner, 2017, Preliminary herpetological survey of Ngonye Falls and surrounding regions in south-western Zambia, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 148) 11 (1), pp. 24-43 : 35

publication ID	1525-9153
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0389D162-7555-8B3B-FCB8-A4BFFAD4FC4C
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Xenocalamus mechowii Peters, 1881
status

Treatment

Xenocalamus mechowii Peters, 1881 View in CoL

Elongate Quill-snouted Snake

Material: TM 86247

Photograph: VMUS 158937

Individuals were recorded at Ngonye Falls campsite and Park Headquarters, where a number of individuals (e.g., TM 86247) were unearthed during construction. Two subspecies have been historically recognized, which were separated on distribution and ventral and subcaudal scale counts ( Peters 1881, Witte and Laurent 1947; Broadley 1971c). Broadley (1971c) notes a population of apparent intergrades in northern Zambia and this, together with the overlap in the supposedly diagnostic characters, lead us to not recognize these subspecies until a thorough review of these taxa has been undertaken.