NUMBER 67 | APRIL 2018 AHN AFRICAN HERP NEWS NUMBER 67 | APRIL 2018 1 AHN FORWARD FOUNDED 1965 The HAA is dedicated to the study and con- COMMITTEE OF THE HAA servation of African reptiles and amphib- CHAIRPERSON LETTER FROM THE CHAIRPERSON ians. Membership is open to anyone with Krystal Tolley, South African National Biodi- an interest in the African herpetofauna. versity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Members receive the Association’s journal, Cape Town, South Africa. On behalf of the new HAA committee, I would like to thank the members for giving us the Email: [email protected] African Journal of Herpetology (which opportunity to promote and foster African herpetology for both the established and the publishes review papers, research articles, SECRETARY next generation of herpetologists. The new committee has met several times since its for- and short communications – subject to Buyi Makhubo, Department of Herpetology, mation as there were a number of outstanding issues, as well as new initiatives to discuss. peer review) and African Herp News, the National Museum, P. O. Box 266, Bloemfontein We would like to share these with the members. Firstly, our membership has decreased Newsletter (which includes short com- 9300, South Africa. E-mail: [email protected] substantially over recent years. We now have less than 150 members. Most of the loss munications, natural history notes, book has been from overseas members, most likely due to the lack of a mechanism to make reviews, bibliographies, husbandry hints, TREASURER payments to the society. We are looking into new methods, such as PayPal. While ease announcements and news items). Jens Reissig, P.O.Box 62, Kelvin, Sandton 2054, of payment might boost our membership, the committee also discussed why one would South Africa want to be a member. What is the advantage and why should we value membership in the NEWSLETTER EDITOR’S NOTE Email: [email protected] Articles shall be considered for publication HAA? We tossed around some ideas such as access to the journal, receiving the newsletter and cheaper conference fees. But ultimately, the group agreed that we really are members provided that they are original and have JOURNAL EDITOR not been published elsewhere. Articles will Ché Weldon, Unit for Environmental Sciences and because it gives us a sense of belonging. We are a community, we have common ground, be submitted for peer review at the Edi- Management, North-West University, Potchefst- and we want to encourage others to participate so that herpetology in Africa grows. Thus, room 2522, South Africa. tor’s discretion. Authors are requested to Email: [email protected] our goal for the next 2 years is to support scientific endeavors, to recognize excellence submit manuscripts by e-mail in MS Word within our community and foster young researchers. Our first obvious step is to update the ‘.doc’ or ‘.docx’ format. NEWSLETTER EDITOR website and to step things up with social media on the FaceBook page. There will be fre- COPYRIGHT Jessica da Silva, South African National Biodi- quent postings regarding the journal content and other activities. The FaceBook page will : Articles published in versity Institute. Kirstenbosch Research Centre, also become a more active student forum, where students can post questions and we will the Newsletter are copyright of the Herpe- Cape Town, South Africa. E-mail: [email protected] encourage our more seasoned members to engage with the students and provide advice. tological Association of Africa and may not This is just the beginning of our work and the committee will be meeting fairly regularly so be reproduced without permission of the WEBPAGE/SOCIAL MEDIA Editor. The views and opinions expressed Bryan Maritz, Department of Biodiversity and if members have comments or recommendations, please contact us at our new committee in articles are not necessarily those of the Conservation at the University of the Western email address: [email protected]. Cape. Editor. E-mail: [email protected] Committee of the haa STUDENT SUPPORT COVER PHOTOGRAPH Hanlie Engelbrecht, School of Animal, Plant Krystal Tolley : Python and Environmental Sciences, University of the natalensis Photograph by: Graham Witwatersrand, South Africa. HAA Chairperson E-mail: [email protected] Alexander 2 NUMBER 67 | APRIL 2018 NUMBER 67 | APRIL 2018 3 6 EDITORIAL 34 M. PETFORD & R. VAN HUYSSTEEN. Hemirhagerrhis nototaenia (Günther, 1864). Hunting strategy. CORRECTIONS 7 CORRECTION TO ISSUE 66, PAGE 28 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTIONS 37 M. P. HEINICKE & A. M. BAUER. Goggia essexi (Hewitt, 1925) and SURVEYS Lygodactylus capensis (Smith, 1849). 8 B. HUGHS. THE SNAKES OF DODOMA 41 W. CONRADIE & T. BUSSCHAU. Macrelaps microlepidotus (Günther, 1860). ARTICLES 43 D. W. PIETERSEN, J. P. DAVIES & L. J. THOMPSON. Lygodactylus 12 R. C. BOYCOTT. EFFECT OF DROUGHT ON HATCHING SUCCESS chobiensis - FitzSimons, 1932. 45 D. W. PIETERSEN, J. P. DAVIES & L. J. THOMPSON. Chamaeleo NATURAL HISTORY NOTES anchietae - Bocage 1872 19 M. F. BATES & D. BOSHOFF. Psammophis crucifer (Daudin, 1803). 48 INSTRUCTION TO AUTHORS Death-feigning. 20 E. HESTER, A. SCHAEFER & A. M. BAUER. Afrogecko prophyreus 51 HAA MEMBERSHIP FEES (Daudin, 1802). Reproduction. 21 S. KIRCHHOF, L. B. LOSOGO, C. S. GOOSH, K. SAITOTI & P. K. MALONZA. Latastia longicaudata (Reuss, 1934). Diet. 25 F. H.A. VAN LOON. Homopus signatus - Gmelin, 1789. Two-egg clutching. 26 R. VAN HUYSSTEEN & M. PETFORD. Lamprophis guttatus (A. Smith, 1844). Diet. 27 P. R. JORDAAN. Varanus albigularis albigularis - Daudin, 1802. Severe facial myiasis. 30 P. R. JORDAAN & X. COMBRINK. Crocodylus niloticus(Laurenti, 1802). Hunting behaviour. 32 P. CUNNINGHAM. Trachylepis occidentalis (Peters, 1867). Avian preda tion. 4 NUMBER 67 | APRIL 2018 NUMBER 67 | APRIL 2018 5 . NATURAL HISTORY Notes...>>>>>>>> ..>>>>>>>> NATURAL HISTORY Notes after several minutes. All three hunting -at Herpetology. 42 (2): 361-368. Clauss (2002) mention snakes, monitors, tempts witnessed were successful. - SUBMITTED BY raptors, small mammals (e.g. shrews, mon ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS goose, African wild cat and domestic cat) PHILIPPUS RUDOLPH (PHILIP) JORDAAN preying on Trachylepis wahlbergii. Known We would like to thank Catharine Hanekom , - avian predators ofTrachylepis spp. are var- for her comments as well as Dr. Jessica da Tshwane University of Technology, Depart ious raptors and lilac-breasted roller (Clauss Silva who reviewed the article. ment of Nature Conservation. & Clauss 2002). REFERENCES Email: [email protected] ALEXANDER STANISLOU (XANDER) COM- On 21 July 2017 I found a juvenileTrach - BRANCH, B., 1998. Field guide to the snakes BRINK, Tshwane University of Technology, ylepis occidentalis individual (SVL 50 mm & and other reptiles of southern Africa. Struik. Department of Nature Conservation. Room Tail 78 mm – identified by colour pattern and Cape Town. 511, Floor 5, Building 5, Pretoria Campus, known presence on the farm) impaled on a CORBET, P.S. (1959). The food of a sample of Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001. Rhigozum trichotomum shrub (at a height crocodiles (Crocodilus niloticus L.) from Lake Email: [email protected] of 70 cm on a shrub with a total height of Victoria. Proceedings of the Zoological Soci- 100 cm) by a common fiscalLanius ( collaris) ety of London. 29 (4): 211-235. on a farm approximately 70 km northeast COTT, H.B. 1961. Scientific results of an in- SCINCINAE of Noordoewer in the Karas Region, south- jury into the ecology and economic status Trachylepis occidentalis ern Namibia (28°16’12.7”S & 18°03’44.1”E; of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) (Peters, 1867) 740m). Although the actual impaling pro- in Uganda and northern Rhodesia. Transac- cess was not observed, this is inferred as tions of the Zoological Society of London, 29 Western Three-striped Skink common fiscal are resident on farm and of- (4): 211-235. ten seen preying on invertebrates (Fig. 1). Figure 1. Juvenile Trachylepis occidentalis impaled MATTHEWS, W.S., VAN WYK, A.E., VAN AVIAN PREDATION on Rhigozum trichotomum shrub by common Common fiscal’s have a catholic diet and ROOYEN, N., BOTHA, G.A. 2001. Vegetation P. CUNNINGHAM fiscal. of the Tembe Elephant Park, Maputaland, are known predators of vertebrates - e.g. Common fiscal are seen daily on the farm South Africa. South African Journal of Bota- Although lizards are known to fall prey to blindworms, lizards, chameleons, snakes, and although this was the first impaled prey ny. 67: 573-594. a variety of predators (e.g. Branch 1998, frogs, birds, rodents, bats (Hockey et al. item encountered, most other foraging -ob Marais 1992, Alexander & Marais 2007) 2005) although these usually make up a RADLOFF, F.G.T., HOBSON, K.A., LESLIE, A.J. servations have been of arthropods and small percentage of the diet (e.g. <10% of 2012. Characterising ontogenetic niche there is often a paucity of data regarding even a scorpion, but no reptiles. The last - shifts in Nile Crocodile using stable isotope specific species and/or predators with most the diet in KwaZulu/Natal – e.g. Soobramon few years on the farm have been associat- ey et al. (δ13C, δ15N) analyses of scute keratin.Iso - data on predators being anecdotal. This is 2004). Prey items are often impaled ed with below average annual rainfall. This topes in Environmental and Health Studies. especially true for the genus Trachylepis. or wedged on thorns, wood splinters, and overall dry spell and probably general lack of 48 (3): 439-456. However, some predators are mentioned, barbs of wire fence (Hockey et al. 2005) arthropod prey items may have influenced TEMBE ELEPHANT PARK: MANAGEMENT albeit mostly at genus level – e.g. Shine et which serves as a ‘storage’ function (Bevanthe bird to attempt larger reptile prey. On Trachylepis PLAN. Version 1.0 (2015). Ezemvelo KwaZu- al. (2006) include in the diet of & England 1969) or as a display for territorialthe other hand, the breeding season for lu-Natal Wildlife, Pietermaritzburg. Psammophiine (Colubridae) snakes; Marais advertisement and to attract females (Yosefcommon fiscal is between August and -Janu (1992) include Trachylepis spp.