GBIF Country Report LR

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

GBIF Country Report LR Activity report generated January 2021 Liberia This report provides a series of summary charts, statistics and other details about the mobilization and use of open-access species data through the GBIF network, relating to users and participating institutions in Liberia. These metrics show status at the time of report generation, unless otherwise noted. Taken together, the elements of this report can help guide and measure progress toward the information needs for biodiversity research, as well as for national commitments on biodiversity and sustainable development. ▶ Access and usage Researchers from Liberia contributed to 0 peer-reviewed articles citing GBIF use during 2020 and a total of 1 articles since 2008 ▶ Data availability in Liberia Animalia Plantae Fungi Unknown 80,103 52,545 403 300 occurrences occurrences occurrences occurrences Protozoa Bacteria Virus Chromista Archaea 196 14 14 754 0 occurrences occurrences occurrences occurrences occurrences ▶ Data mobilization Institutions from Liberia published 3,276 new occurrence records during 2020 out of a total of 268,835,604 occurrence records added globally to GBIF.org Number of records published by institutions in Liberia, categorized by kingdom 2 | 6 Access and usage Data downloads on GBIF.org from users in Liberia Users from Liberia made 3 download requests representing 0.0% of all downloads during 2020 Monthly downloads requested by users in Liberia Recent peer-reviewed articles using GBIF-mediated data by co-authors based in Liberia The GBIF Secretariat maintains and reports on an ongoing literature tracking programme, giving priority to substantive uses of GBIF- mediated data in peer-reviewed literature while identifying the countries or areas of the authors’ institutional affiliations. The citations below represent the five most recent journal articles with at least one co-author from Liberia. Those interested in assisting the Secretariat in identifying additional peer-reviewed uses of GBIF-mediated data may forward relevant citations to [email protected]. Rödel, Kucharzewski, Mahlow et al. (2019) A new stiletto snake See all research from this country or area (Lamprophiidae, Atractaspidinae, Atractaspis) from Liberia and Guinea, gbif.org/country/LR/publications West Africa. Zoosystematics and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.95.31488 3 | 6 Data availability Total data available for selected taxonomic groups in Liberia Mammals Birds Bony fish Amphibians 10,711 19,995 20,102 8,967 occurrences occurrences occurrences occurrences Insects Reptiles Molluscs 5,166 2,490 3,426 occurrences occurrences occurrences Arachnids Flowering Gymnosper Ferns 478 plants ms 2,402 occurrences 49,228 1 occurrences occurrences occurrences Mosses Sac fungi Basidiomycota 221 258 141 occurrences occurrences occurrences Mammals = Class Mammalia Insects = Class Insecta Flowering plants = Phylum Ferns = Phylum Pteridophyta Birds = Class Aves Reptiles = Class Reptilia Magnoliophyta Mosses = Phylum Bryophyta Bony fish = Superclass Molluscs = Phylum Mollusca Gymnosperms = Superclass Sac fungi = Phylum Ascomycota Osteichthyes Arachnids = Class Arachnida Gymnospermae Basidiomycota = Phylum Amphibians = Class Amphibia Basidiomycota Change over time in records about biodiversity in Liberia Occurrence records available about species occurring Species for which at least one occurrence record is in Liberia available in Liberia WHY MIGHT THE AMOUNT OF MOBILIZED DATA SPECIES COUNTS represent the number of binomial scientific DECREASE? names for which GBIF has received data records, organized as far Datasets are sometimes removed by publishers, but more often as possible using synonyms recorded in key databases like the decreases in the number of records are due to the removal of Catalogue of Life duplicate records and datasets. 4 | 6 Most recent datasets from publishers in Liberia National forests rapid biological assessment Liberia 2002/03. Published by Forestry Development Authority https://doi.org/10.15468/wtsfsv Exploration of the Carbon Sequestration Potential River Cess, Liberia 2008. Published by Forestry Development Authority https://doi.org/10.15468/3m4dle Checklist of Reptiles of Nimba, Liberia. Published by Forestry Development Authority https://doi.org/10.15468/aa6txh A Rapid Biological Assessment of North Lorma, Gola and Grebo National Forests, Liberia 2007. Published by Forestry Development Authority https://doi.org/10.15468/bhb1fv Sapo National Park Chimpanzee Survey 2016. Published by Forestry Development Authority https://doi.org/10.15468/grxior Liberian Greenbul Expedition 2013. Published by University of Liberia https://doi.org/10.15468/wucefr See all datasets from this country or area: gbif.org/dataset/search?publishing_country=LR Newest publishers from Liberia Occurrence records downloaded from GBIF.org, published by institutions in Liberia University of Liberia Forestry Development Authority Number of occurrence records downloaded via See all publishers from this country or area GBIF.org published by institutions in Liberia gbif.org/publisher/search?country=LR 5 | 6 Data mobilization Data sharing with country or area of origin by national institutions in Liberia Liberia publishes data from 1 countries, territories and islands including 19,148 occurrences in 11 occurrence datasets Data sharing with country or area of origin The chart above shows the number of records shared over time by publishers within Liberia, with separate colours for records about species occurring within undefined and those occurring elsewhere. Top data contributors about biodiversity Top datasets contributing data about in Liberia Liberia Rank Country or area No. of occurrences Fishbase. 24,162 occurrences in Liberia. (Last updated 18 Sep 2020) 1 United States of America 26,635 Naturalis Biodiversity Center (NL) - Botany. 20,928 2 Sweden 24,690 occurrences in Liberia. (Last updated 17 Jan 2021) 3 Netherlands 23,728 EOD - eBird Observation Dataset. 13,286 occurrences in 4 Liberia 19,148 Liberia. (Last updated 30 Jun 2020) 5 Belgium 9,922 NMNH Extant Specimen Records. 7,866 occurrences in 6 France 8,847 Liberia. (Last updated 28 Jan 2021) 7 Colombia 5,422 Meise Botanic Garden Herbarium (BR). 7,285 occurrences in Liberia. (Last updated 29 Jun 2020) 8 United Kingdom 4,825 9 Germany 2,222 10 South Africa 637 Table 1. Ranking of countries or areas contributing data about Liberia See all contributing countries and areas or datasets: gbif.org/country/LR/about 6 | 6 Liberia participates in the following projects coordinated by GBIF Enhancing capacity to mobilize and use biodiversity data to support sustainable development in West Africa Capacity Enhancement Support Programme, 2020–2021 The overall goal of this project is to enhance capacity for biodiversity data mobilization and development of information products in support of sustainable development in West Africa https://www.gbif.org/project/ImAtw3uVGVpjrpiYHAxvD Building Capacity for Biodiversity Data Mobilization and Conservation See all GBIF projects in Liberia gbif.org/resource/search?contentType=project BID: Biodiversity Information for Development, 2017–2019 This project will enhance national capacity for biodiversity data mobilization, processing, management and publishing; provide high-quality occurrence and distribution data for fauna and flora species of global conservation concern occurring in Liberia; and comprehensive checklists of key fauna and flora species of global conservation concern occurring in the country, data sources, and users. https://www.gbif.org/project/2FbcNn7o2c08W4m2ywUAQi.
Recommended publications
  • Nyika and Vwaza Reptiles & Amphibians Checklist
    LIST OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF NYIKA NATIONAL PARK AND VWAZA MARSH WILDLIFE RESERVE This checklist of all reptile and amphibian species recorded from the Nyika National Park and immediate surrounds (both in Malawi and Zambia) and from the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve was compiled by Dr Donald Broadley of the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in November 2013. It is arranged in zoological order by scientific name; common names are given in brackets. The notes indicate where are the records are from. Endemic species (that is species only known from this area) are indicated by an E before the scientific name. Further details of names and the sources of the records are available on request from the Nyika Vwaza Trust Secretariat. REPTILES TORTOISES & TERRAPINS Family Pelomedusidae Pelusios rhodesianus (Variable Hinged Terrapin) Vwaza LIZARDS Family Agamidae Acanthocercus branchi (Branch's Tree Agama) Nyika Agama kirkii kirkii (Kirk's Rock Agama) Vwaza Agama armata (Eastern Spiny Agama) Nyika Family Chamaeleonidae Rhampholeon nchisiensis (Nchisi Pygmy Chameleon) Nyika Chamaeleo dilepis (Common Flap-necked Chameleon) Nyika(Nchenachena), Vwaza Trioceros goetzei nyikae (Nyika Whistling Chameleon) Nyika(Nchenachena) Trioceros incornutus (Ukinga Hornless Chameleon) Nyika Family Gekkonidae Lygodactylus angularis (Angle-throated Dwarf Gecko) Nyika Lygodactylus capensis (Cape Dwarf Gecko) Nyika(Nchenachena), Vwaza Hemidactylus mabouia (Tropical House Gecko) Nyika Family Scincidae Trachylepis varia (Variable Skink) Nyika,
    [Show full text]
  • Ancestral Reconstruction of Diet and Fang Condition in the Lamprophiidae: Implications for the Evolution of Venom Systems in Snakes
    Journal of Herpetology, Vol. 55, No. 1, 1–10, 2021 Copyright 2021 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Ancestral Reconstruction of Diet and Fang Condition in the Lamprophiidae: Implications for the Evolution of Venom Systems in Snakes 1,2 1 1 HIRAL NAIK, MIMMIE M. KGADITSE, AND GRAHAM J. ALEXANDER 1School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. PO Wits, 2050, Gauteng, South Africa ABSTRACT.—The Colubroidea includes all venomous and some nonvenomous snakes, many of which have extraordinary dental morphology and functional capabilities. It has been proposed that the ancestral condition of the Colubroidea is venomous with tubular fangs. The venom system includes the production of venomous secretions by labial glands in the mouth and usually includes fangs for effective delivery of venom. Despite significant research on the evolution of the venom system in snakes, limited research exists on the driving forces for different fang and dental morphology at a broader phylogenetic scale. We assessed the patterns of fang and dental condition in the Lamprophiidae, a speciose family of advanced snakes within the Colubroidea, and we related fang and dental condition to diet. The Lamprophiidae is the only snake family that includes front-fanged, rear-fanged, and fangless species. We produced an ancestral reconstruction for the family and investigated the pattern of diet and fangs within the clade. We concluded that the ancestral lamprophiid was most likely rear-fanged and that the shift in dental morphology was associated with changes in diet. This pattern indicates that fang loss, and probably venom loss, has occurred multiple times within the Lamprophiidae.
    [Show full text]
  • Amblyodipsas Polylepis (Bocage, 1873) Feeding on the Amphisbaenid Monopeltis Luandae Gans, 1976
    Herpetology Notes, volume 14: 205-207 (2021) (published online on 26 January 2021) A snake with an appetite for the rare: Amblyodipsas polylepis (Bocage, 1873) feeding on the amphisbaenid Monopeltis luandae Gans, 1976 Werner Conradie1,* and Pedro Vaz Pinto2,3 Specimens in natural history museum collections catalogue number PEM R22034. The snake measured represent a unique snapshot of the time and place they 634 mm in snout–vent length (no tail length is provided were collected, while the analysis of stomach contents as the tail was truncated). Identification to the nominate often leads to unexpected results and new discoveries. For subspecies A. p. polylepis was based on a series of example, the Angolan lizard Ichnotropis microlepidota characteristics (fide Broadley, 1990), including enlarged Marx, 1956 was described based on material recovered fangs below a small eye; loreal absent; preocular absent; from the crop of a Dark Chanting Goshawk (Melierax one postocular; seven supralabials, with the 3rd and metabates), and the species has not been collected since 4th entering the orbit; seven infralabials, with the first (Marx, 1956; van den Berg, 2018). Specifically, such four in contact with a single pair of genials; temporal an approach is known to provide extremely valuable formula 0+1 on both sides; 19-19-17 midbody scale insights into highly cryptic and rarely sighted fossorial rows; 227 ventrals; 16+ paired subcaudals (truncated). species, such as amphisbaenids (Broadley, 1971; Shine The specimen was re-examined in mid-2019 and it was et al., 2006). These tend to be generally underrepresented discovered that the stomach was full. Upon dissection, a in museum collections and, therefore, make a case for fully intact amphisbaenian was removed (Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Natural History and Taxonomic Notes On
    Herpetological Conservation and Biology 9(2):406–416. Submitted: 27 March 2014; Accepted: 25 May 2014; Published: 12 October 2014. NATURAL HISTORY AND TAXONOMIC NOTES ON LIOPHOLIDOPHIS GRANDIDIERI MOCQUARD, AN UPLAND RAIN FOREST SNAKE FROM MADAGASCAR (SERPENTES: LAMPROPHIIDAE: PSEUDOXYRHOPHIINAE) JOHN E. CADLE1, 2 1Centre ValBio, B.P. 33, 312 Ranomafana-Ifanadiana, Madagascar 2Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California 94118, USA, e-mail: [email protected] Abstract.––Few observations on living specimens of the Malagasy snake Liopholidophis grandidieri Mocquard have been previously reported. New field observations and specimens from Ranomafana National Park amplify knowledge of the natural history of this species. Liopholidophis grandidieri is known from above 1200 m elevation in pristine rain forests with a high diversity of hardwoods and bamboo. In some areas of occurrence, the forests are of short stature (15–18 m) as a result of lying atop well-drained boulder fields with a thin soil layer. Dietary data show that this species consumes relatively small mantellid and microhylid frogs obtained on the ground or in phytotelms close to the ground. A female collected in late December contained four oviductal eggs with leathery shells. One specimen formed a rigid, loose set of coils and body loops, and hid the head as presumed defensive behaviors; otherwise, all individuals were complacent when handled and showed no tendency to bite. I describe coloration and present photographs of living specimens from Ranomafana National Park. The ventral colors of L. grandidieri were recently said to be aposematic, but I discuss other plausible alternatives. Key Words.––conservation; diet; habitat; reproduction; snakes; systematics exhibits the greatest sexual dimorphism in tail length and INTRODUCTION the greatest reported relative tail length of any snake (tails average 18% longer than body length in males; The natural history and systematics of many snake Cadle 2009).
    [Show full text]
  • Diversity Assessment with the Addition of New Locality Reports of Sindh
    Rakesh Kumawat et al., IJSRR 2019, 8(1), 1954-1969 Research article Available online www.ijsrr.org ISSN: 2279–0543 International Journal of Scientific Research and Reviews Diversity Assessment with the Addition of New Locality Record of Sindh Awl Headed Snake and Ecological Assemblage from Bikaner District of Thar Desert, Rajasthan Rakesh Kumawat* and Ashok Purohit1 * Department of Zoology, Jai Narain Vyas University, New Campus, Jodhpur, India,342001 1Department of Zoology, Jai Narain Vyas University, New Campus, Jodhpur, India,342001 ABSTRACT: Systematic diversity assessment of different snakes from Bikaner district of the Thar Desert, located at Northern western, India have reported the species inventory of this area, A total of 15 species of snakes belonging to 6 families were recorded. Among these families, Colubridae dominated the list with 7 species, Elapidae with 3 species, Boidae 2 species and Lamprophiidae, Typhlopidae and Viperidae represent only single species each. Four poisonous, four mildly poisonous and seven non-poisonous snakes were recorded. The study conducted during the spring and summer season of September 2015 to September 2018. The study area comprises various habitats such as grassland, stabilized sand dunes, Barren sand dunes, and IGNP canal area, agriculture area and human habitation sustains significant biodiversity. Lytorhynchus paradoxus recorded the first time from the Bikaner district of Thar Desert. Species richness also evaluated from the data set as, Black-headed Royal Snake (n = 51) shows maximum species richness (19%) and Sindh krait (n = 1) shows minimum species richness (0.3%). Habitat preference by the snake species shows maximum occurrence in of stabilized sand dunes (24%) and a minimum of Human habitation (10 %).
    [Show full text]
  • A Phylogeny and Revised Classification of Squamata, Including 4161 Species of Lizards and Snakes
    BMC Evolutionary Biology This Provisional PDF corresponds to the article as it appeared upon acceptance. Fully formatted PDF and full text (HTML) versions will be made available soon. A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes BMC Evolutionary Biology 2013, 13:93 doi:10.1186/1471-2148-13-93 Robert Alexander Pyron ([email protected]) Frank T Burbrink ([email protected]) John J Wiens ([email protected]) ISSN 1471-2148 Article type Research article Submission date 30 January 2013 Acceptance date 19 March 2013 Publication date 29 April 2013 Article URL http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/13/93 Like all articles in BMC journals, this peer-reviewed article can be downloaded, printed and distributed freely for any purposes (see copyright notice below). Articles in BMC journals are listed in PubMed and archived at PubMed Central. For information about publishing your research in BMC journals or any BioMed Central journal, go to http://www.biomedcentral.com/info/authors/ © 2013 Pyron et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes Robert Alexander Pyron 1* * Corresponding author Email: [email protected] Frank T Burbrink 2,3 Email: [email protected] John J Wiens 4 Email: [email protected] 1 Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, 2023 G St.
    [Show full text]
  • Systematics of Collared Snakes and Burrowing Asps (Aparallactinae
    University of Texas at El Paso DigitalCommons@UTEP Open Access Theses & Dissertations 2017-01-01 Systematics Of Collared Snakes And Burrowing Asps (aparallactinae And Atractaspidinae) (squamata: Lamprophiidae) Francisco Portillo University of Texas at El Paso, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.utep.edu/open_etd Part of the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Portillo, Francisco, "Systematics Of Collared Snakes And Burrowing Asps (aparallactinae And Atractaspidinae) (squamata: Lamprophiidae)" (2017). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 731. https://digitalcommons.utep.edu/open_etd/731 This is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UTEP. It has been accepted for inclusion in Open Access Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UTEP. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SYSTEMATICS OF COLLARED SNAKES AND BURROWING ASPS (APARALLACTINAE AND ATRACTASPIDINAE) (SQUAMATA: LAMPROPHIIDAE) FRANCISCO PORTILLO, BS, MS Doctoral Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology APPROVED: Eli Greenbaum, Ph.D., Chair Carl Lieb, Ph.D. Michael Moody, Ph.D. Richard Langford, Ph.D. Charles H. Ambler, Ph.D. Dean of the Graduate School Copyright © by Francisco Portillo 2017 SYSTEMATICS OF COLLARED SNAKES AND BURROWING ASPS (APARALLACTINAE AND ATRACTASPIDINAE) (SQUAMATA: LAMPROPHIIDAE) by FRANCISCO PORTILLO, BS, MS DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at El Paso in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Biological Sciences THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO May 2017 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First, I would like to thank my family for their love and support throughout my life. I am very grateful to my lovely wife, who has been extremely supportive, motivational, and patient, as I have progressed through graduate school.
    [Show full text]
  • Additional Locality Record and Note on Breeding of Stout Sand Snake Psammophis Longifrons Boulenger, 1890
    Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 769-772 (2020) (published online on 21 September 2020) Additional locality record and note on breeding of Stout Sand Snake Psammophis longifrons Boulenger, 1890 (Reptilia, Squamata) from the Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India Shaik Hussain1, Buddi Laxmi Narayana2, Gandla Chethan Kumar3,*, Laka Srinivas4, and B. Mahesh5 The snake family Lamprophiidae Fitzinger, 1843 lineolatus (Brant, 1838) also occurs in Pakistan (Smith, is one of the most widespread colubroid families 1943; Baig et al., 2008; Ganesh et al., 2017) occurring throughout much of the old world, including The Stout sand snake P. longifronsis (Fig. 1) is a Africa, the Middle East, Madagascar, southern Europe, rare and endemic snake from India. The snake was south-central and up to East Asia (Kelly et al., 2008; originally described in 1890 by G.A. Boulenger from the Vyas and Patel, 2013). The subfamily Psammophiinae “Cuddapah Hills”, Andhra Pradesh based on a holotype has had a checkered past and still little is known of specimen collected by R.H. Beddome representing the evolutionary relationships of this taxonomically only the head and neck and lacking the rest of the complex genus comprising of about 54 nominate body. Dreckmann (1892), later summed up further data species of which around 35 belong to the type genus based on the collection of D’Aguiar from Kalyan town, Psammophis Boie, 1825 (Kelly et al., 2008; Uetz et Thane District, Maharashtra, India. The Stout Sand al., 2019). The genus is the most widespread, diverse snake is recorded from Damanganga, Gujarat (Smith, genera in Africa compared to Asia and yet perhaps 1943); Valsad, Gujarat (Smith, 1943; Vyas and Patel, taxonomically most problematic of Africa’s family- 2013); Panch Mahals, Gujarat (Smith, 1943); Nagpur, level snake lineages (Kelly et al., 2008).
    [Show full text]
  • Psammophis Longifrons
    HTTPS://JOURNALS.KU.EDU/REPTILESANDAMPHIBIANSTABLE OF CONTENTS IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANSREPTILES • VOL15, & N AMPHIBIANSO 4 • DEC 2008 •189 28(1):65–67 • APR 2021 IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS CONSERVATION AND NATURAL HISTORY TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURENew ARTICLES Locality Records for the Indian . Chasing Bullsnakes (Pituophis catenifer sayi) in Wisconsin: Egg-eatingOn the Road to Understanding Snake the Ecology and (ConservationElachistodon of the Midwest’s Giant Serpent ...................... westermanni Joshua M. Kapfer 190 ) . The Shared History of Treeboas (Corallus grenadensis) and Humans on Grenada: A Hypothetical andExcursion ............................................................................................................................ the Stout SandsnakeRobert W. Henderson 198 RESEARCH ARTICLES (Psammophis. The Texas Horned Lizard in Central longifrons and Western Texas ....................... )Emily in Henry, JasonKarnataka, Brewer, Krista Mougey, and Gad Perry 204India . The Knight Anole (Anolis equestris) in Florida .............................................Brian J. Camposano, Kenneth L. Krysko, Kevin M. Enge, Ellen M. Donlan, and Michael Granatosky 212 Yatin Kalki1 and Sachin Gowda2 CONSERVATION ALERT 1Madras Crocodile Bank Trust & Center for Herpetology, Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu 603104, India ([email protected]) . World’s Mammals2Wildlife in Crisis Awareness ............................................................................................................................... and Reptile Conservation
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of Diet in the Lamprophiidae Hiral Naik 452805
    The evolution of diet in the Lamprophiidae Hiral Naik 452805 A Dissertation submitted to the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, South Africa July 2017 Declaration I declare that this dissertation is my own, unaided work unless specifically acknowledged in the text. It has not been submitted previously for any degree or examination at any other university, nor has it been prepared under the aegis or with the assistance of any other body or organization or person outside of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. ______________ Hiral Naik 13/07/2017 1 Abstract Studying feeding biology in a phylogenetic context helps elucidate the factors that significantly influenced the evolutionary history of organisms. The snake lineage is one of the most morphologically and ecologically diverse clades of vertebrates due to a variety of traits (e.g. venom, body shape, gape size and habitat use) that have enabled their exceptional radiation. Recently, the Deep History Hypothesis (DHH) has been used to explain how divergence, deep in the evolutionary history of snakes, has resulted in present day niche preferences. The Competition-Predation Hypothesis (CPH) contrastingly attributes current ecological traits to recent species interactions. Diet has been a key factor in shaping snake diversity and ecology, and it has often been used as a proxy to understand current snake community structure and evolutionary trends in snakes. I tested the validity of the two evolutionary hypotheses in the Lamprophiidae, a family of primarily African snakes.
    [Show full text]
  • Records of the Indian Sand Snake Psammophis Condanarus (Merrem, 1820) (Reptilia: Lamprophiidae) in Southern India
    Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 July 2017 | 9(7): 10453–10458 Records of the Indian Sand Snake Psammophis condanarus (Merrem, 1820) (Reptilia: Lamprophiidae) in southern India 1 2 3 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) S.R. Ganesh , Vivek Sharma & M. Bubesh Guptha Communication Short ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) 1 Chennai Snake Park, Rajbhavan Post, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600022, India 2 Post-Graduate Program in Department of Zoology, Govt. Model Science College, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh 482003, OPEN ACCESS India 3 Wildlife Consultant, BioLab of Seshachalam Hills, Wildlife Management Circle, Kapilatheertham, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh 517501, India 1 [email protected] (corresponding author), 2 [email protected], 3 [email protected] Abstract: We present new records of the Indian Sand Snake parts of peninsular India (Smith 1943; Whitaker & Psammophis condanarus from southern India, where its existence has Captain 2004). Three more congeneric species namely remained doubtful till date. Our records are based on both live and preserved voucher specimens that are illustrated and described here. P. schokari (Forskal, 1775), P. longifrons Boulenger, We furnish distribution records of this species from two sites belonging 1890, and P. leithi Günther, 1869 are confined mainly to two different ecoregions in southern India—Tirupati in the Eastern Ghats and Hospete in the Deccan plateau. Our work highlights the to northwestern and central India (Whitaker & Captain obscurity of certain, large-growing, diurnal land snakes that have as 2004; Vyas & Patel 2013). A closely related congener yet managed to evade the attention of field biologists largely due to a Psammophis indochinensis Smith, 1943 inhabits the lack of field surveys in certain ecoregions.
    [Show full text]
  • Burrowing Snakes
    1 – WildlifeCampus Snakes and Reptiles of the Lowveld Course Module # 4 - Component # 4 Burrowing Snakes Family Lamprophiidae As the name suggests, these snakes are largely subterranean. Their heads are not very distinctive from the rest of the body and are usually rounded or blunt. There are front and back fanged fangs species in the family. Although fanged, most of them are not dangerous to humans. All species are oviparous with one exception. Burrowing Snakes © Copyright This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus 2 – WildlifeCampus Snakes and Reptiles of the Lowveld Course Sub-Family Atractaspidinae 3 species occur in southern Africa, of which two occur in South Africa. They have very small eyes with round pupils. There are symmetrical head scales and the head is pointed. Great care must be taken with this species, as they are practically impossible to handle. The difficulty (impossibility) in handling the asps is due to the interesting characteristic they can rotate their fangs to the side. The position that professional and experienced snake handlers use to pin the snake involved having their thumb right up against the side of the fang. The asp then just rotates a fang and jabs their head slightly to the side, thus snake 1, handler 0. All other species of front and rear-fanged snakes are not able to rotate fangs in multiple directions, only up-down. The Asps will even push their fang through their own lip to make sure they stab their assailant.
    [Show full text]