Herpetology Notes, volume 11: 201-203 (2018) (published online on 20 February 2018) A new record of Pseudoboodon gascae Peracca, 1897 (Squamata: Serpentes: Lamprophiidae) from the southern edge of the Ethiopian Highlands Arthur Tiutenko1,* Pseudoboodon Peracca, 1897 is a small clade of Ethiopian sites are in dry grassland, Acacia savanna or lamprophiid snakes that are considered to be endemic scrubland, with average annual precipitation of 90 mm to the Ethiopian Highlands (Largen and Rasmussen, or less. This led to an assumption that P. gascae, unlike 1993; Largen and Spawls, 2010). The four members its congeners, is confined to arid environments (Largen share an unusual morphological trait: a deep triangular and Rasmussen, 1993; Largen and Spawls, 2010). pit in the fifth and sixth upper labial scales (Figure I here report the first record of P. gascae from a forest 4). Pseudoboodon gascae Peracca, 1897 (Gasca’s habitat – in the Harenna Forest, Bale, Oromia Region, in Ethiopian Snake), the type species of the genus, is a southern Ethiopia. A juvenile male (based on subcaudal medium-sized snake that can be easily distinguished count) specimen was found at the forest margin near the from its congeners by a dorsal pattern of longitudinal eastern side of the road connecting the villages Rira and red-brown zigzag bands or round markings, or a mixture Dola-Mena, about 3.5 km north of Sankate village (a.k.a. of both. From the similar looking, but more greyish “Manyate”). The locality is situated in the submontane coloured, Pseudoboodon sandfordorum Spawls, 2004 zone, at 1610 m above sea level, at 6.4073N 39.7455E it is distinguished by having a single anterior temporal (read with a Garmin Oregon 450t GPS device). This shield (versus two in P. sandfordorum) and a lower number of ventral scales (Spawls, 2004, Largen and Spawls, 2010). Although it was described more than a century ago, P. gascae remains among the least studied snakes in the region. The type locality of P. gascae (lectotype MRSN R1658) was reported as “Maldi (Eritrea)” (Peracca, 1897; Elter, 1981; Largen, 1997); situated in Anseba Province, Eritrea, at 15.38N, 38.48E, at an elevation of 2450 m above sea level. In Ethiopia, this species was initially known only from three specimens that were first identified as Pseudoboodon lemniscatus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) (Scortecci, 1939); all collected in Yavello (also Yabelo – 4.8833N 38.0833E) in the south-west of the country (Largen and Rasmussen, 1993). Later P. gascae was found in Chinahasen (also Ch’īna Hasen – 9.5053N 42.6111E, 2060 m a.s.l.) in east Ahmar Mountains. Like the type locality, both 1 University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schlossplatz 4, 91054 Figure 1. Locations with currently known populations of Erlangen, Germany Pseudoboodon gascae; circles – previous records; square * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] – new record. 202 Arthur Tiutenko Figure 2. Pseudoboodon gascae, juvenile specimen in habitat Figure 3. Locality of the record – 6.4073N 39.7455E. in the Harenna Forest. a piece of wood that was lying on grass near the forest part of the forest is dominated by large trees, such as edge. This specimen has the following measurements Afrocarpus (Podocarpus) gracilior, Celtis africana, and lepidosis: total length – 229 mm, snout to vent – 202 Cassipourea malosana, Croton macrostahyus, etc. (for mm, tail length – 27 mm, head length – 12 mm, head a detailed description of vegetation see Bussmann, width – 8 mm, mid-body scale rows – 35+I, ventral 1997). The covert consists largely of Coffea arabica count – 191, subcaudal count – 47 pairs, anal plate – – wild coffee trees. Being the largest open area in this single, anterior temporal shield – single. otherwise shadowy environment this broad, but unpaved, The ground colour of body and head is dirty white. road is frequented by snakes seeking an opportunity The many very small copper red or brown spots and for basking; the eastern side is particularly suitable for blotches give the animal a red-brown appearance. The reptiles, due to greater sunshine exposure. Routine road density of the markings decreases on the flanks towards maintenance measures after every rainy season prevent the abdomen, so that the overall colouration lightens tree growth. As a result, an up to 10 m wide area of low downwards. A row of large oval grey-brown blotches grass and shrubs separates the road from the forest edge runs along each flank. Similarly coloured, but even (Figure 3). The grass remains low even in a rainy season larger blotches on the dorsum partially merge to form due to grazing by livestock (Figure 2). a zigzag band. A large arrow-shaped mark of the same I found the snake at the end of the “big rains”, on colour extends on the head from prefrontal scales over October 5, in the late afternoon (about 6 p.m.), under the frontal shield and suboculars to the neck where it Figure 5. Pseudoboodon gascae, juvenile male, dorsal Figure 4. Pseudoboodon gascae, juvenile male, head. aspect. A new record of Pseudoboodon gascae from the Ethiopian Highlands 203 connects with the vertebral band. Body scales are smooth References and show a blue-violet iridescence in bright light. The Bussmann, R. W. (1997): The forest vegetation of the Harenna pupil is elliptical, in moderate light it widens to an oval. Escarpment (Bale Province, Ethiopia) – syntaxonomy and The eye is obscured by a dark band that extends through phytogeographical affinities. Phytocoenologia, 27: 1–23. the pupil from the loreal scale to the neck. Being a Elter, O. (1981): La collezione erpetologica del Museo di Zoologia juvenile, this specimen appears much more slender than dell’Università di Torino. In: Cataloghi V – Museo Regionale di the known adult individuals of this species (Figure 5). Scienze Naturali (ed.). Largen, M. J., Rasmussen, J. B. (1993): Catalogue of the snakes People from the nearby village informed me of sightings of Ethiopia (Reptilia Serpentes), including identification keys. of larger and more robust snakes with similar colour and Tropical Zoology, 6: 313–434. pattern; these might be adult P. gascae. Largen, M. J. (1997): An annotated checklist of the amphibians In the same area I also found the following snakes: and reptiles of Eritrea, with keys for their identification. Trop. Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, Lamprophis erlangeri Zool. 10: 63-115. and Afrotyphlops blanfordii. All seem to be syntopic Largen, M. J., Spawls, S. (2010): Amphibians and Reptiles of with P. gascae; I picked up a shed skin of a juvenile Ethiopia and Eritrea (Frankfurt: Edition Chimaira): 475. Largen, M. J., Spawls, S. (2011): Amphibians and reptiles of the C. hotamboeia at the point where the P. gascae was Bale Mountains. Walia, Special Edition on the Bale Mountains: found. Other species of colubroid snakes recorded in 89-91. the Bale region are Pseudoboodon lemniscatus and Parker, H.W. (1949): The snakes of Somaliland and the Socotra Psammophylax variabilis (Largen and Spawls, 2010, Islands. Zoologische Verhandelingen. Leiden 6, 1- 115. Largen and Spawls, 2011). Peracca, M. G. (1897): Intorno ad alcuni Ofidii raccolti a Maldi P. gascae was long assumed to be widespread (Largen (Eritrea) dal Capitano A. Gasca. Bollettino dei Musei di and Spawls, 2010), though is at present only known Zoologia e di Anatomia Comparata della R. Università di Torino, 12 (273): 1–3. from three scattered localities. This report confirms it as Rasmussen, J. B., Largen, M. J. (1992): A review of Pseudoboodon a widespread form and extends the range of this species PERACCA with the description of a new species from Southwest to a new site that is separated by a distance of around Ethiopia (Serpentes, Dipsadidae, Lycodontinae, Boadontini). 300 km from the nearest known locality. This find in a Steenstrupia, 18 (3): 65–80. “coffee forest” also suggests that P. gascae may occupy Scortecci, G. (1939): Spedizione zoologica del Marchese Saverio a similar habitat east of the Rift Valley as Pseudoboodon patrizi nel Basso Giuba e nell’Oltre Giuba. Giugno-agosto 1934. boehmei Rasmussen & Largen, 1992 does to the west. XII. Rettili Ofidi. Annali Del Museo Civico Di Storia Naturale Di Genova Giacomo Doria 58: 263–291. Since the Harenna Forest is one of the last natural sites Spawls, S. (2004): A New Species of Pseudoboodon (Reptilia: in Ethiopia to have survived deforestration so far, it Serpentes) from the Central Highlands of Ethiopia; with notes remains to be determined whether forests and not arid on some other members of the genus: African Journal of land are primary habitats of this snake. Herpetology, 53 (1): 13–19. Acknowledgements I wish to thank Stephen Spawls for reviewing the manuscript, for valuable comments, and for correcting my English writing. Accepted by Hendrik Müller.