Angolan House Snake Revision (Boaedon)

A recent revision of the Angolan Boaedon describes 3 new species (B. bocagei , B. branchi and B. fradei), re-validates B. variegatus, assigns B. lineatus var.
lineolatus to B. variegatus, and elevates B. mentalis to full species status.

The paper also includes a dichotomous key for the identification of these species. Features important in this key include: subcaudal scale, venter pigmentation, midbody scale rows, head scales (top of head), length and thickness of white dorsolateral stripes, chin scales (underside of head), supralabials entering orbit (side of head), body markings, pigmentation of the lower 2-3 dorsal scale rows (so lots of diagnostic photographs will be necessary).

"Figure 2. Confirmed records of Boaedon species in Angola. Orange dots: Boaedon bocagei sp. nov.; Orange star: Boaedon bocagei sp. nov. Type Locality; Blue dots: Boaedon fradei sp. nov.; Blue star: Boaedon fradei sp. nov. Type Locality; Yellow dots: Boaedon branchi sp. nov.; Yellow star: Boaedon branchi sp. nov. Type Locality; Purple dots: Boaedon olivaceus; Red dots: Boaedon virgatus; Green dots: Boaedon fuliginosus; Pink dots: Boaedon mentalis; Brown dots: Boaedon variegatum; Brown star: Boaedon variegatum Type Locality; Black dots: Boaedon angolensis; White star: Boaedon angolensis "

Read the full article here:
Hallermann, J., Ceríaco, L.M., Schmitz, A., Ernst, R., Conradie, W., Verburgt, L., Marques, M.P. and Bauer, A.M., 2020. A review of the Angolan House snakes, genus Boaedon Duméril, Bibron and Duméril (1854)(Serpentes: Lamprophiidae), with description of three new species in the Boaedon fuliginosus (Boie, 1827) species complex. African Journal of Herpetology, pp.1-50.

Posted on 14 de julho de 2020, 07:56 PM by alexanderr