Emerald Snake

biology_ecology

Biology and distribution. The species is widely distributed in West, Central and East Africa from Senegal to Kenya in the east and the Congo River mouth in the DRC and south to northern Angola (Chippaux and Jackson 2019). In Cabinda Province the specimen was found in degraded lowland riparian forest.

Filling the gaps: herpetological checklist of Mayombe National Park and Cabinda Province (Angola) shed light on one of the most unexplored corners of tropical Central Africa

materials_examined

Material. ANGOLA – Cabinda Province • Tando Zinze; – 5.306833, 12.498538; 32 m a. s. l.; P 1.144; GenBank: PQ 455974. Identification. The species can be distinguished from its congeners by having divided subcaudals and fewer than 175 ventral scales (Chippaux and Jackson 2019). The specimen reported here differs by ∼ 1 % (16 S p - distance) from other specimens from Mount Kupe, Cameroon (GenBank: KX 671734) and Rabi, Gabon (GenBank: AY 611875).

Filling the gaps: herpetological checklist of Mayombe National Park and Cabinda Province (Angola) shed light on one of the most unexplored corners of tropical Central Africa

discussion

Comments. One of the commonest snake species in Río Muni. The specimens erroneously recorded by Martínez y Sáez (1886) and Pérez del Val (2001) as H. lineatus (MNCN 20286 – 20289 and MNCN 20290 – 20293) are herein regarded as H. smaragdina. Specimens examined. Thirty-seven specimens. Equatorial Guinea (without specific locality), July 1891 (MNCN 23810). Island of Elobey (2 specimens) and Río Muni, from Río Campo to Río Benito (2 specimens) (MNCN 20286 – 20289). Río Muni: without specific locality, likely part of the material examined by Boulenger (1905) from Cabo San Juan (MNCN 22571, 22572, 22573 – 22575); San Joaquín de Ndyiacom, December 1987 (EBD 27733); San Joaquín de Ndyiacon (road from Bata to Ayamiken), August 1987 (EBD 27531), 20 May 1987 (EBD 24965), 03 February 1987 (EBD 25013 – 25014); San Joaquín de Ndyiacom, 1990 (B 9572, EBD 31502); Nvom (road from Aconibe to Asoc), 08 May 1987 (EBD 24964); Miboman (road from Bata to Niefang), March 1987 (EBD 24966); Asonga, Bata, 08 April 1986 (EBD 20785); Miboman (road to Bata, Km 29), 15 November 1986 (EBD 20832); Miboman (road from Bata to Niefang), 28 July 1987 (EBD 27535); Mongomo, 16 April 1986 (EBD 20786, EBD 20788); Suguisa,

Synopsis of the terrestrial Reptiles of Equatorial Guinea

distribution

Distribution. This species extends from Gambia to Uganda, and southward to northern Angola. In Equatorial Guinea it has been recorded in Bioko (Boulenger 1894) at San Carlos and Natividad (Hacienda Natividad) (Bocage 1895 a, 1903; Mertens 1964 a) and in Río Muni at Cabo San Juan (Boulenger 1905) and Monte Alén National Park (Lasso et al. 2002), including Monte Mitra (Gonwouo & Nsang 2005) (Map 21 A).

Synopsis of the terrestrial Reptiles of Equatorial Guinea