Mehelya poensis ( Smith, 1847 )

Sánchez-Vialas, Alberto, Calvo-Revuelta, Marta & Riva, Ignacio De La, 2022, Synopsis of the terrestrial Reptiles of Equatorial Guinea, Zootaxa 5202 (1), pp. 1-197 : 119

Mehelya poensis ( Smith, 1847)

Figure 30A

Heterolepis poensis Smith, 1847: 2 . Type locality: Bioko.

Heterolepis bicarinatus Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854: 422 . Type locality: “cóte de Guinée ”.

Mehelya poensis ( Smith, 1847) : Lönnberg 1910: 3.

Distribution. This species extends from Sierra Leona to Uganda, southward to northern Angola. In Equatorial Guinea it has been recorded in Bioko ( Smith 1847; Duméril et al. 1854; Bocage 1873; Martinez y Saez 1886; Boulenger 1893) at San Carlos ( Bocage 1895 a, 1903; Loveridge 1939), Ureca, Musola, between Musola and Riaba (=Concepción) ( Mertens 1964a), and in the island of Elobey (Pérez del Val 2001) ( Map 34A ).

Comments. We provide the first records of this species for mainland Río Muni. Duméril et al. (1854) found a specimen of Trachylepis in the stomach of this species.

Specimens examined. Fourteen specimens. Island of Elobey ( MNCN 23115 ) . Río Muni: San Joaquín de Ndyiacom , 01 August 1986 ( EBD 25001–25002 ) , October 1987 ( EBD 27748) , 1990 (EBD 31524, EBD 31491) ; San Joaquín de Ndyiacom (road from Bata to Ayamiken), 03 February 1987 ( EBD 24951) ; Bata , October 1987 ( EBD 27749) ; Miboman (road from Bata to Niefang) ( EBD 24952) ; Miboman ( Km 27, road from Bata to Niefang) October 1987 ( EBD 27747) ; Miboman (road to Niefang), 29 March 1986 ( EBD 20841) ; Mongomo , 16 April 1986 ( EBD 20840) ; Efulan (Acurenam), 24 September 1985 ( EBD 20942) ; Asonga , 08 November 1984 ( EBD 18383) .

Figures

FIGURE 30. From left to right: lateral, dorsal and ventral views of the head of: Mehelya poensis (A) (EBD 27749), and Python sebae (B) (MNCN 22790); and dorsal and ventral views of the head of Myriopholis perreti (C) (in the EBD collection, without EBD number). Photos: AS-V.

MAPS 34 A–C. Distribution maps for Equatorial Guinean records of (A) Mehelya poensis; (B) Mehelya stenophthalmus; (C) Python sebae.