New Records of Two Rare Snakes from Northern Namibia, with Comments on the Trans-Kunene Distribution of Mopaneveld Squamates (Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae)

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Zeitschrift/Journal: Herpetozoa

Jahr/Year: 2001

Band/Volume: 14_1_2

Autor(en)/Author(s): Bauer Aaron M., Lamb Trip, Branch William R., Babb Randall D.

Artikel/Article: New record of two rare snakes from northern Namibia, with comments on the trans-Kunene distribution of mopaneveld squamates (Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae). 75-79 ©Österreichische Gesellschaft für Herpetologie e.V., Wien, Austria, download unter www.biologiezentrum.at

HERPETOZOA 14 (1/2): 75 - 79 75 Wien, 30. Juni 2001

New records of two rare snakes from northern Namibia, with comments on the trans-Kunene distribution of mopaneveld squamates (Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae)

Neue Nachweise von zwei seltenen Schlangen aus Nordnamibia, mit Bemerkungen zur Trans-Kunene-Verbreitung von Mopaneveld-Squamaten (Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae)

AARON M. BAUER & TRIP LAMB & WILLIAM R. BRANCH & RANDALL D. BABB

KURZFASSUNG Wir berichten über die Entdeckung des dritten bekannt gewordenen Exemplares von Coluber zebrinus BROADLEY & SCHÄTTL 2000 und des ftnften von Prosymna visseri FiTZSiMONS, 1959 im Nordwesten Namibias. Eine Beschreibung des neuen Materials wird gegeben. Die Verbreitung dieser beiden seltenen Colubriden scheint räumlich mit einem bisher noch nicht als solches beschriebenen endemismenreichen Mopane-Savannengebiet überein- zustimmen. Dieses Gebiet erstreckt sich von Kamanjab in Namibia bis in das südliche Angola. Zahlreiche andere Reptilien sind in diesem Gebiet endemisch. ABSTRACT We report the discovery of the third known specimen of Coluber zebrinus BROADLEY & SCHÄTTL 2000 and fifth known specimen of Prosymna visseri FiTZSiMONS, 1959 from north-western Namibia. The new material is described. The distributions of both of these rare colubrids appear to be reflective of a previously undocumented mopane savanna area of endemism stretching from the Kamanjab region of Namibia to south central Angola and beyond. A similar distribution is shared by numerous other reptiles.

KEY WORDS Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae: Prosymna visseri, Coluber zebrinus, Kunene River, Mopaneveld, biogeography, Namibia

INTRODUCTION

The inland herpetofauna of north- the southern hemisphere, with its geo- western Namibia remains poorly known, graphically nearest congener, C. smithi despite a long history of collecting in the (BOULENGER, 1896), occurring in Kenya area (e.g., HEWITT 1926; MERTENS 1955; and possibly northern Tanzania. HAACKE 1965, 1972; STEYN & MITCHELL During recent field work in northern 1965, 1967; MCLACHLAN & SPENCE 1967; Namibia, we collected single specimens of HOFFMANN 1989; BAUER et al. 1993). Among P. visseri and C. zebrinus. We here present the more significant recent additions to the data relative to these specimens and corn- region's herpetofauna have been two rarely ment briefly on the distribution patterns of encountered colubrid snakes. MCLACHLAN these and other squamates inhabiting the (1987) signalled the first Namibian record mopaneveld (xeric savanna or scrub wood- of Prosymna visseri FiTZSiMONS, 1959 land dominated by mopane trees, Colopho- from the vicinity of Kamanjab. BROADLEY spermum mopane) of northern Namibia & SCHÄTTI (2000) described a new species and southern Angola, of the broadly distributed colubrid genus Collection acronyms used: CAS - Coluber, C. zebrinus, from northern Na- California Academy of Sciences, San Fran- mibia. Coluber zebrinus represents only the cisco, USA; SAM - South African Mu- second species in the genus known from seum, Cape Town, RSA; SMW - National ©Österreichische Gesellschaft für Herpetologie e.V., Wien, Austria, download unter www.biologiezentrum.at

76 A. M. BAUER & T. LAMB & W. R. BRANCH& R. D. BABB

Museum of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia; (formerly Transvaal Museum), Pretoria, TM - Flagship Institution of the North RSA.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Prosymna visseri was hitherto known specimen, CAS 214764, was captured on from three specimens from southern An- the Opuwo Road, 25 km north of Warm- gola, including the type (TM 24531) from quelle, Opuwo District, Kunene Region near Caracul (= Caraculo, 14°59'S, 12°40' (18°55'54"S 13°46'04"E) on 4 June 2000. E), and a single Namibian specimen (SAM This locality is 170 km SSW of the type lo- 46951) collected at Farm Tevrede (19°25' cality and 135 km north-west of Kamanjab. S, 14°29'E), north-west of Kamanjab (Mc- The habitat at the collection site closely re- LACHLAN 1987; BAUER et al. 1993). The sembles that at the type locality - mopane- new Namibian specimen (CAS 2147536) veld dominated by Colophospermum on was collected at night on 3 June 2000 on a broken stony ground. The snake was cros- granite outcrop in the vicinity of Para sing the road in a narrow rocky cutting. Camp, approximately 2 km north of Ses- Scalation and colouration of the new fontein, Opuwo District, Kunene Region specimen (figs. 2, 3) closely matches that (19°07'28"S, 13°35'29"E). This locality is of the holotype and the lost Kamanjab 95 airline km WNW of the previous Na- specimen (BRANCH 1998; BROADLEY & mibian record and 375 km south of the SCHÄTTI 2000). We counted, however, 23 nearest Angolan locality. rather than 21 scale rows around the neck The new specimen (fig. 1), a female, and 19 versus 17 circumferential scale measures 279.01 mm SVL + 39.33 mm tail rows anterior to the vent. The specimen length, and has 210 ventrals, 40 subcau- measures 243.21 mm SVL + 68.88 mm tail dals, and 15 midbody scale rows. Scalation length, being somewhat smaller than the closely matches that described and figured type. It retains a clear umbilical scar at the by BROADLEY (1980, 1990) and the speci- level of ventrals 191-195. The colour men is similar in colour pattern to the matches that of the holotype very closely specimen illustrated by MCLACHLAN except that the snout is more orange than (1987) and BRANCH (1988, 1998). BROAD- yellow and dark markings are present on LEY (1980, 1990) described the habitat of the posterior borders of supralabials 2-6, P. visseri as "rock outcrops in mopane with the darkest appearing on the two pos- woodland" and it has been presumed to terior-most scales. The much larger (65 cm feed on gecko eggs (BROADLEY 1980; total length) specimen (now lost) illustrated MCLACHLAN 1987). Radiographs prepared by BRANCH (1998) and BROADLEY & with a Faxitron® closed cabinet x-ray sys- SCHÄTTI (2000) is substantially lighter in tem (40 sec exposure at 35 kV) revealed colour, with medium brown rather than the presence of three boli in the posterior black markings, and the tail and posterior- intestine. Each bolus measures approxi- most body are nearly unicolour. mately 8 mm in length and may represent a The southernmost localities for both collapsed eggshell. In the area where the P. visseri and C. zebrinus are near Ka- specimen was collected, rupicolous geckos manjab in the Outjo District. This village is with eggs in this size range include Pachy- near the southern edge of a broad mopane dactylus scutatus HEWITT, 1927 and P. bi- savanna that extends northwards into Cen- color FITZSIMONS, 1938, although neither tral Africa (WHITE & WERGER 1978). The was collected during our investigations. region also is characterised by numerous Coluber zebrinus was described on prominent granite and basalt outcrops that, the basis of the holotype (SMW R8046), likewise, extend northward into Angola. collected in mopaneveld near Ruacana Although the Kamanjab region has been (17°24'S, 14°13'E), and a second specimen noted for its herpetofaunal richness, due from near Kamanjab that was photo- chiefly to its position at the junction of sev- graphed, but escaped before it could be pre- eral major habitat types (BAUER et al. served (BROADLEY & SCHÄTTI 2000). Our 1993), the northern Namibian mopaneveld ©Österreichische Gesellschaft für Herpetologie e.V., Wien, Austria, download unter www.biologiezentrum.at

Rare Namibian snakes 77

Fig. l-.Prosymna visseri FTTZSIMONS, 1959 (CAS 214753) from near Sesfontein, Namibia illustrating the characteristic colour pattern and relatively large eyes of this species. Photograph by W. R. BRANCH. Abb. V.Prosymna visseri FlTZSlMONS, 1959 (CAS 214753) aus der Umgebung von Sesfontein, Namibia. Man beachte die charakteristische Zeichnung und die verhältnismäßig großen Augen. Photo W. R. BRANCH.

Fig. 2: Coluber zebrinus BROADLEY & SCHATTL 2UUU (CAS 214764) from 25 km north ot Warmquelle, Namibia. Whole body view showing the characteristic barred pattern. Photograph by W. R. BRANCH. Abb. 2: Coluber zebrinus BROADLEY & SCHÄTTI, 2000 (CAS 214764) von 25 km nördlich Warmquelle, Namibia Gesamtansicht mit den charakteristischen Querstreifen. Photo W. R. BRANCH. ©Österreichische Gesellschaft für Herpetologie e.V., Wien, Austria, download unter www.biologiezentrum.at

78 A. M. BAUER & T. LAMB & W. R. BRANCH & R. D. BABB

V Fig. 3: Coluber zebrinus (CAS 214764).Close-up of'head illustrating scalation. Photograph by W. R. BRANCH. Abb. 3: Coluber zebrinus (CAS 214764), Portrait zur Darstellung der Beschuppung. Photo W. R. BRANCH.

itself has not been regarded as an area of suggests that many species are restricted high endemism. Nonetheless, STEYN & chiefly to mopaneveld habitats (including MITCHELL (1965) recognised an area of koppies) and have trans-Kunene ranges. endemism in north-western Namibia and Among these are Lycophidion hellmichi adjacent south-westem Angola defined by LAURENT, 1964, Hemirhagerrhis viperina the distribution of Mabuya laevis Bou- BOCAGE, 1873, Pedioplanis benguellensis LENGER, 1907 (as Oelofsea laevis). They (BOCAGE, 1867), Mabuya chimbana (BOC- regarded this species as a Kaokoveld en- AGE, 1872), Hemidactylus cf. longicepha- demic. However, the Kaokoveld extends lus BOCAGE, 1873, Lygodactylus lawrencei westward into the Pro-Namib and Namib, HEWITT, 1926, Pachydactylus caraculicus encompassing areas of gravel plains, sand FITZSIMONS, 1959, and P. fitzsimonsi seas, and rocky desert. The area identified LOVERIDGE, 1947 in addition to Mabuya by STEYN & MITCHELL (1965) is more cor- laevis. Other vertebrate groups, such as rectly regarded as the trans-Kunene ex- representatives of the group of small- panse of mopane savanna. bodied Bufo may exhibit similar patterns Present knowledge of squamate dis- (POYNTON & HAACKE 1993). Most of these tribution patterns in northern Namibia reach their southern limits in the vicinity of ©Österreichische Gesellschaft für Herpetologie e.V., Wien, Austria, download unter www.biologiezentrum.at

Rare Namibian snakes 79

Kamanjab. The northern distributional to any other reptile species, except perhaps limits for many of these species remain un- Sepsina alberti HEWITT, 1929. It seems known due to limited collecting in Angola. certain that C. zebhnus will eventually be Prosymna visseri clearly shares this trans- added to the herpetofauna of Angola. Kunene distribution, whereas C. zebhnus Likewise, careful night searches on granite remains at present a putative Namibian en- koppies to the north of Kamanjab will demic. The latter species' distribution is likely bridge the distributional gaps be- almost certainly an artifact, however, as the tween Farm Tevrede, Sesfontein, and the Kunene does not pose a geographic barrier Angolan localities of P. visseri.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the Ministry of the Environment and Steve LOCHETTO (Villanova, USA), and Ajny MEEKER Tourism of the Republic of Namibia, and especially Mr. (Greenville, USA) provided companionship and assis- Mike GRIFFIN (Windhoek, Namibia), for continued sup- tance in the field. This research was supported by grant port of our research in northern Namibia. Paul MoLER DEB-9707568 from the National Science Foundation of (Gainesville, USA), Tori SCHNEIDER (Villanova, USA), the United States.

REFERENCES

BAUER, A. M. & BRANCH, w. R. & HAACKE, HEWITT, J. (1926): Some new or little known W. D. (1993): The herpetofauna of the Kamanjab reptiles and batrachians from South Africa.- Ann. area and adjacent Damaraland, Namibia.- Madoqua, South African Mus., Cape Town; 20: 473-490. Windhoek; 18(2): 117-145. HOFFMANN, L. A. C. (1989): An annotated BRANCH, W. R. (1988): Field guide to the list of amphibian and reptiles observations from Eto- snakes and other reptiles of southern Africa. Cape sha National Park.- Madoqua, Windhoek; 16(2): 87- Town (Struik), 328 pp. 92. BRANCH, W. R. (1998): Field guide to the MCLACHLAN, G. R. (1987): A first record for snakes and other reptiles of southern Africa, 2nd ed. Prosymna visseri in southern Africa.- Madoqua, Cape Town (Struik), 399 pp. Windhoek; 15(1): 89-90. BROADLEY, D. G. (1980): A revision of the MCLACHLAN, G. R. & SPENCE, J. M. (1967): African snake genus Prosymna GRAY (Colubridae).- A new species of Pachydactylus (Pachydactylus Occ. Pap. Nati. Mus. Monuments Rhodesia B.- Natu- oreophilus sp. nov.) from Sesfontein, South West Af- ral Sci., Salisbury; 6(7): 481-556. rica.- Cimbebasia, Windhoek; 21: 3-8. BROADLEY, D. G. (1990): FlTZSlMONS' MERTENS, R. (1955): Die Amphibien und snakes of southern Africa, revised edition with ad- Reptilien Südwestafrikas.- Abh. Senckenbergischen dendum. Parklands (J. Ball & A. Donker), 387 pp. Naturforsch. Ges., Frankfurt am Main; 490: 1-172. BROADLEY, D. G. & SCHÄTTI, B. (1997) [is- POYNTON, J. C. & HAACKE, W. D. (1993): sued in 20001: A new species of Coluber from north- On a collection of amphibians from Angola, includ- ern Namibia (Reptilia: Serpentes).- Madoqua, Wind- ing a new species of Bufo LAURENT!.- Ann. Trans- hoek; 19(2): 171-174. vaal Mus., Pretoria; 36(2): 9-16. FlTZSlMONS, V. F. (1959): Some new reptiles STEYN, W. & MITCHELL, A. J. L. (1965): A from southern Africa and southern Angola.- Ann. new scincid genus: and a new record from South Transvaal Mus., Pretoria; 23: 405-409. West Africa.- Cimbebasia, Windhoek; 12: 2-12. HAACKE, W. D. (1965): Additional notes on STEYN, W.<& MITCHELL, A. J. L. (1967): herpetology of South West Africa with descriptions Two new gekkos from South West Africa.- Cimbeba- of two new subspecies of geckos.- Cimbebasia, sia, Windhoek; 21: 9-21. Windhoek; 11: 1-39. WHITE, F. & WERGER, M. J. A. (1978): The HAACKE, W. D. (1972): Herpetological field Guineo-Congolian transition in southern Africa, pp. work in South West Africa.- Bull. Transvaal Mus., 601-620. In: WERGER, M. J. A. (ed.): Biogeography Pretoria; 12: 10-12. and ecology of southern Africa. The Hague (Junk).

DATE OF SUBMISSION: December 22nd, 2000 Corresponding editor: Heinz Grillitsch

AUTHORS: Dr. Aaron M. BAUER, Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA < [email protected] >; Dr. Trip LAMB, Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA; Dr. William R. BRANCH, Port Elizabeth Museum, P.O. Box 13147, Hu- mewood 6013, South Africa; Randall D. BABB, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 7200 East University, Mesa, Arizona 85207, USA.