ISSN 1017 - 6187 AFRICAN HERP NEWS AFRICAN HERP NEWS NO. 15: JUN 1991

CONTENTS HERPETOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF EDITORIAL ...... '. REPORT ON 2ND H.A.A. SYMPOSIUM 1991 ...... 3 NEWSLETTER REPORT ON 7TH AFRICAN AMPHIBIAN SYMPOSIUM 1991...... 5 NEW H.A.A. COMMITTEE MEMBERS ...... 6 AMENDMENTS TO H.A.A. CONSTITUI1ON...... 7 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUI1ON...... 13 INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP FEES FROM 1992 ...... 15 HERP-INFO ...... 16 HERPETOFAUNA ON ,STAMPS...... : ...... 17 INSTITUTIONAL NEWS Manyeleti Centre ...... 21 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS Herpetological report from the Tuli Circle (7 to 18 April 1990) G.S.A. Rasmussen ...... 23 Notes on a hcrpetological collecting trip to Namibia (24 Oct to 3 Nov 1990) G.V. Haagner ...... 36 Venom glands in the genus Ca11s11s D.G. Broadley ...... 40 The Berg River crocodile saga . E.H.W. Baard...... ~ ...... 42 Brown house snake survives being swallowed by its companion K. Walters ...... 43 Ophidiophobia M.F. Bates ...... 44 A herpetologkal database for the Cape Province E.H.W. Baard...... 46 REPRINTS ...... 48 FROM THE PRESS ...... 50 Comment on the article • Local leg11a11s latest fad 011 coke circuit R.M. Douglas ...... 57 HERPETOLOGY 1990/91...... 60 OTHER SOCIETIES ...... 66 H.A.A. RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT 1990/91 ...... 68

JUNE 1991 NO. 15 African H,rp New, 15: Jun 1991

EDITORIAL

The Second HA.A. Symposium on African Herpetology was held from 8-11 April 1991 at the National Museum in Bloemfontein. Apart from being a rather exhausting and at HERPETOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF AFRICA times nerve-racking experience for the organizers, all went well and I hope I am not mistaken when saying a good time was had by all. At this stage I would like to offer a Founded 1965 collective "apology" to those authors who spent half their time signing an apparently never-ending supply of books for the many delegates eager to have "personalised" The HAA is dedicated to the study and conse_rvation ~f Afri~n _and copies. I say this with tongue-in-cheek, of course, as the most severe symptom exhibited amphibians. Membership is open to anyone with an •~terest •~ ~be Afnc:1n by an author was mild writer's cramp. The next African Herp News will be dedicated to herpetofauna. Members receive the Journal of the Herpetolog,cal Assocuuwn ~f Africa the happenings and doings at the symposium, and I am sure that those HAA. (which publishes technical articles- subject to peer review, n~te~, book revJe~ and members who were unable to attend will enjoy seeing photographs of some of southern bibliographies) and African Herp News (HAA Newsletter) which includes news items, Africa's well known herpetologists (and how they partake of their dinner). husbandry hints, announcements, etc). Shortly after the suymposium I received a rather exciting letter from one of the delegates. This kind and loyal HAA. member offered a substantial financial contribution towards the publication of the Symposium Proceedings. Presenters of papers, posters and slide shows have already be~n sent instructions regarding the preparation of manuscripts. The Proceedings will be published as HA.A. Journal no. 40 and may appear as soon as the end of the year.

Preliminary discussions are already underway regarding the next HAA. symposium, which may be held during 1993. The symposium would commemorate the 50th year COMMITTEE OF TIIE HERPETOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF AFRICA since the publication of V.F.M. FitzSimons now famous memoir The of , and would remind us of his invaluable contributions to southern African Chairman and Newsletter Editor herpetology. M.F. Bates, Herpetology Department, National Museum, P.O. Box 266, Bloemfontein, 9300. Now on to other matters. During 1985, Mr J.H. van Wyk, the H.AA. Chairman at that time, issued a short questionnaire to enquire, imer alia, whether or not H.AA. Secretary and Treasurer members were interested in having an index to the journals published. The results of R.M. Douglas, Herpetology Department, National Museum, P.O. Box 266, the questionnaire were published in Newsletter no. 9 (1987), and indicated that 86% of Bloemfontein, 9300. responding members were indeed interested. Members will be pleased to know that Mr Rod Douglas has completed an author index for H.A.A. Journals numbers I - 39, which Journal Editor will be published as a special issue of African Herp News (no. 17) due out around W.R. Branch, Curator of Herpetology, Port Elizabeth Museum, P.O. Box 13147, December 1991. A subject index will also be published at a later date. Humewood, 6013. One last point regarding the above-mentioned questionnaire. An overwhelming 96% of Additional Committee Members . members felt that a husbandry section in the newsletter was essential. Despite this, very N.H.G. Jacobsen, Nature Conservation Division, P. Bag X209, Pretona, 0001. few husbandry articles are submitted: Surely it is to the benefit of all concerned to make available breeding results and disseminate accumulated knowledge and V.C. Carruthers, Windover Mountain Reserve, P.O. Box 368, Rivonia, 2128. experience. It is surely a sad state of affairs when someone who is extremely knowledgeable on a subject "witholds" such knowledge rather than share it with others E.H.W. Baard, Jonkershoek Nature Conservation Station, Stellenbosch, 76flJ. for the ultimate benefit of the captive ? O. Bourquin, Natal Parks Board, P.O. Box 622, Pietermaritzburg, 3200.

Co-opted Journal Subeditor . RC. Boycott, Malolotja Nature Reserve, P.O. Box 1797, Mbabane, Swaztland. - 1 - Honorary Ule Memben: Dr R Laurent, Prof. J.C. Poynton, Dr Carl Gans, Dr D.G. Broadley. African Herp News 15: Jun 1991 Afri£an Herp News 15: Jun 1991

. . th k h rsons who submitted articles, notes and Finally, I would aga•~ ltke_ to_ an ; A~cI:, Herp News. As a last thought, please REPORT ON 2nd ff.A.A. SYMPOSIUM other material used m this issu;e; herpetological publications in Africa, and your remember that there are very eh a reciated. you have any ON I If contributions to the jo~mal ofrbnewsfil~t:ero~~:~ wapl~::.nte~f down and send it to me. AFRICAN HERPETOLOGY information you feel will be o enc • 0 • The Second HA.A. Symposium on African Herpetology w.;.s held from 8-11 April 1991 at Wishing you all the best. the National Museum in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Mike Bates A total of 56 persons attended the symposium, including delegates from South Africa, Chairman/Newsletter Editor Swaziland, Zimbabwe, , Germany and the United States. Forty-two papers, 13 posters, 6 slide shows and a computer program demonstration were presented. A variety of topics were covered, including , zoogeography, regional distribution, ecology, evolution, reproduction, reptile relocation, parasitology, reptilian disease and reptile husbandry.

Most professional southern African herpetologists attended the symposium, as did a number of amateur herpetologists and other interested persons. Six Guest Speakers were invited, namely Prof. J.C. Poynton (University of Natal, Durban, South Africa), Dr D.G. Broadley (Natural History Museum, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe), Prof. A.M. Bauer (Villanova University, Villanova, United States), Mr B. Langerwerf ( International Herpetological Institute, Montevallo, United States), Mr S. McKeown (Chaffee Zoological Gardens, Fresno, United States) and Mr H.W. Henkel (Germany).

In my humble opinion, I would say that the symposium was a great success and enjoyed by all. It was good to see how much work is currently being done on herptiles in southern Africa. Also, I think that most delegates enjoyed the opportunity to meet others in their field, especially when it was for the first time - I certainly did.

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