Article

A note on the generic allocation of Coluber moilensis REUSS, 1834 (Serpentes: Psammophiidae)

Authors:
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.

... However, based on recent phylogenies, they are now generally recognized as part of the Elapoidea radiation (e.g., Burbrink et al., 2020;Figueroa et al., 2016;Kelly et al., 2008Kelly et al., , 2009McCartney et al., 2021;Pyron & Burbrink, 2012;Pyron et al., 2013;Vidal et al., 2008;Weinell & Brown, 2018;Zaher et al., 2009Zaher et al., , 2019Zheng & Wiens, 2016). Within elapoids, they are either treated as their own distinct family (Psammophiidae; e.g., Böhme & de Pury, 2011;Burbrink et al., 2020;Chen et al., 2021;Kelly et al., 2008Kelly et al., , 2009Speybroeck et al., 2020;Wallach et al., 2014;Zaher et al., 2009Zaher et al., , 2019 or either as a distinct subfamily within Lamprophiidae (Psammophiinae; e.g., Branch et al., 2019;Chippaux & Jackson, 2019;Figueroa et al., 2016;Keates et al., 2019;McCartney et al., 2014, 2021Pyron & Burbrink, 2012Pyron et al., 2013;Vidal et al., 2008;Weinell & Brown, 2018;Zheng & Wiens, 2016). Indeed, the distinctive cranial anatomy of psammophiid genera compared with other colubriforms has been already highlighted since several decades (Bogert, 1940;Boulenger, 1896;Bourgeois, 1967Bourgeois, , 1968Szunyoghy, 1932;Szyndlar, 1988;Zaher et al., 2009). ...
... nov. can be distinguished from Rhageris, and its sole valid species, Rhageris moilensis (Reuss, 1834), which was until recently placed into Malpolon (see Böhme & de Pury, 2011), by possessing a more elongated centrum, a much higher neural spine, and a more vaulted neural arch (Figure 5k-o). Furthermore, P. odysseus sp. ...
Article
Full-text available
We here describe abundant new snake material from the late Miocene (MN 13) of Salobreña, Spain. Vertebral morphology suggests a referral of the specimens to the extant psammophiid Psammophis, documenting the first occurrence of this genus in Europe. The diversity and disparity across the vertebral morphology of different psammophiid genera are discussed. We identify vertebral features that could diagnose Psammophis and therefore enable the recognition of the genus in the fossil record. A comparison of the new Spanish form with other taxa is conducted. We provide a detailed review of the psammophiid fossil record. Material previously described from the middle Miocene of Beni Mellal, Morocco is here tentatively referred to as ?Psammophis sp., an action that renders that occurrence as the oldest (probable) record of the genus and Psammophiidae as a whole, providing thus a potential calibration point. On the other hand, Eastern European Pliocene material that had been previously supposedly referred to Psammophis is here discarded as being rather fragmentary, not affording any more precise determination. The two psammophiid genera Psammophis and Malpolon appear almost simultaneously in the European fossil record (MN 13), with the former achieving only a short‐lived and apparently geographically limited distribution in the continent, while the latter still exists in its modern herpetofauna. We assess biogeographic implications of the new find, suggesting a direct dispersal event from northwestern Africa to the Iberian Peninsula during the late Miocene, facilitated by the Messinian Salinity Crisis.
... It shows grayish yellow color with dark brown dots behind eyes and diurnally and nocturnally active. It is characterized by lifting behavior similar to Cobra snake so it is called Pseudo Cobra (Böhme and de Pury, 2011). It was recorded throughout Al-Zulfi, Abqaiq, Dhahran, Al-Hasa, Jabrin, Riyadh, Al-Kharj, Jeddah, Thuwal (Al-Sadoon, 2010;Masood, 2012;Masood and Asiry, 2012). ...
... It is a non-venomous snake with no fangs however it has an aggressive behavior and attacks and bites vigorously. It has small strong teeth, recorded in the environment throughout the year feeding on rodents, lizards and birds (Böhme and de Pury, 2011). It is widely distributed throughout the Arabian Peninsula (Al-Sadoon, 2010). ...
... Peters' name, but regarded it "as not free" for which reason he coined a new (but invalid) generic name for it (Bohme and De Pury, 2011). Brandstätter (1995) was the first to propose to clearly separate moilensis from Malpolon to transfer it to its own genus, Scutophis, referring to its ability to flatten its neck (literally translated it means "shielded snake"; the name is derived from scutum, the Latin word for "shield"). ...
... ).1-Malpolon Fitzinger 1826The genus Malpolon Fitzinger 1826 belongs to the subfamily Psammophiinae (family Lamprophiidae(Pyron et al., 2013); includes back-fanged species, with one or two large grooved fangs, situated approximately below the posterior border of the eye.The genus currently counts two Mediterranean species(Bohme and De Pury, 2011), which show allopatric geographic distributions : Malpolon monspessulanus Hermann 1804 (western Montpellier snake), which ranges from Liguria (W Italy) through France, Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, and Western Sahara(Fahd and Pleguezuelos, 2001;Geniez et al., 2006;Sindaco et al., 2013); M. insignitus Geoffroy Sant-Hilaire 1827 (eastern Montpellier snake), which spreads from eastern Morocco eastward around the Mediterranean Sea, reaching Anatolia and Balkans, Middle East, Iraq and Iran, and also Caucasi and Transcaucasia(Sindaco et al., 2013).Coluber insignitus Geoffroy De St-Hilaire, 1809. -Desc. ...
... Saïd Nouira 1996). Crochet et al. 2003, 2008, 2014, Joger 2003, Geniez et al. 2004, Harris et al. 2004, Nagy et al. 2004, Fritz et al. 2005, 2006, 2007, Busack & Lawson 2006, Frost et al. 2006, Greenbaum et al. 2006, Guicking et al. 2006, 2008, Stöck et al. 2006, 2008a,b, Zangari et al. 2006, Harris et al. 2007, Recuero et al. 2007, Barata et al. 2008, Carretero 2008, Casale et al. 2008, Fonseca et al. 2008, Geniez & Gauthier 2008, Kyriazi et al. 2008, Arnold et al. 2009, Carretero et al. 2009, Pook et al. 2009, Sicilia et al. 2009, Trape et al. 2009a,b, 2012, Wilms et al. 2009, Colliard et al. 2010, Joger & Bshaena 2010, Kornilios et al. 2010, Rato et al. 2010, Wagner et al. 2011, Böhme & Pury 2011, Delaugerre et al. 2011, Filella Subirà 2011, Kaliontzopoulou et al. 2011, Moravec et al. 2011, Garcia-Porta et al. 2012, Gonçalves et al. 2012, Lotti et al. 2012, Metallinou et al. 2012, Perera et al. 2012, Tlili et al. 2012a,b, 2014, Arntzen et al. 2013a, Ben Hassine et al. 2013, Bshaena & Joger 2013, Krause et al. 2013, Sarra et al. 2013, Ben Hassine & Escoriza 2014, Beukema & Crochet 2014, Lescure 2014, Stuckas et al. 2014, Tamar et al. 2014, 2016a,b, Vences et al. 2014, Wallach et al. 2014, Geniez 2015, Nicolas et al. 2015, 2018, Ahmadzadeh et al. 2016, Figueroa et al. 2016, Ohler & Dubois 2016, Pokrant et al. 2016, Verissimo et al. 2016, Bauer et al. 2017, Graciá et al. 2017, Martínez-Freiria et al. 2017, Rhodin et al. 2017, Escoriza 2018, Kindler et al. 2018, Salvi et al. 2018, Tlili & Nouira 2018, Bouragaoui & Nouira 2019, Dufresnes 2019, Dufresnes et al. 2019a,b, 2020, El Hili et al. 2020, Escoriza & Ben Hassine 2019, Kechnebbou et al. 2019, Stoetzel et al. 2019, Arga et al. 2020, Delaugerre & Corti 2020, Fritz & Schmidtler 2020, Miralles et al. 2020, Schweiger & Gemel 2020, Liz et al. 2021, Machado et al. 2021, Pizzigalli et al. 2021, Uetz et al. 2021. La liste taxinomique de l'herpétofaune de la Tunisie comprend les espèces repérées dans les temps historiques européens et méditerranéens, des espèces pour lesquelles au moins une population reproductrice est connue. ...
Article
A new taxonomic checklist is established for the Amphibians and “Reptiles” of Tunisia. Inaddition to international zoological scientific names, a French scientific name is attributed to each taxon. The Tunisian herpetofauna presently contains seven species of Amphibians and 62 of “Reptiles”.
... Saïd Nouira 1996). Crochet et al. 2003, 2008, 2014, Joger 2003, Geniez et al. 2004, Harris et al. 2004, Nagy et al. 2004, Fritz et al. 2005, 2006, 2007, Busack & Lawson 2006, Frost et al. 2006, Greenbaum et al. 2006, Guicking et al. 2006, 2008, Stöck et al. 2006, 2008a,b, Zangari et al. 2006, Harris et al. 2007, Recuero et al. 2007, Barata et al. 2008, Carretero 2008, Casale et al. 2008, Fonseca et al. 2008, Geniez & Gauthier 2008, Kyriazi et al. 2008, Arnold et al. 2009, Carretero et al. 2009, Pook et al. 2009, Sicilia et al. 2009, Trape et al. 2009a,b, 2012, Wilms et al. 2009, Colliard et al. 2010, Joger & Bshaena 2010, Kornilios et al. 2010, Rato et al. 2010, Wagner et al. 2011, Böhme & Pury 2011, Delaugerre et al. 2011, Filella Subirà 2011, Kaliontzopoulou et al. 2011, Moravec et al. 2011, Garcia-Porta et al. 2012, Gonçalves et al. 2012, Lotti et al. 2012, Metallinou et al. 2012, Perera et al. 2012, Tlili et al. 2012a,b, 2014, Arntzen et al. 2013a, Ben Hassine et al. 2013, Bshaena & Joger 2013, Krause et al. 2013, Sarra et al. 2013, Ben Hassine & Escoriza 2014, Beukema & Crochet 2014, Lescure 2014, Stuckas et al. 2014, Tamar et al. 2014, 2016a,b, Vences et al. 2014, Wallach et al. 2014, Geniez 2015, Nicolas et al. 2015, 2018, Ahmadzadeh et al. 2016, Figueroa et al. 2016, Ohler & Dubois 2016, Pokrant et al. 2016, Verissimo et al. 2016, Bauer et al. 2017, Graciá et al. 2017, Martínez-Freiria et al. 2017, Rhodin et al. 2017, Escoriza 2018, Kindler et al. 2018, Salvi et al. 2018, Tlili & Nouira 2018, Bouragaoui & Nouira 2019, Dufresnes 2019, Dufresnes et al. 2019a,b, 2020, El Hili et al. 2020, Escoriza & Ben Hassine 2019, Kechnebbou et al. 2019, Stoetzel et al. 2019, Arga et al. 2020, Delaugerre & Corti 2020, Fritz & Schmidtler 2020, Miralles et al. 2020, Schweiger & Gemel 2020, Liz et al. 2021, Machado et al. 2021, Pizzigalli et al. 2021, Uetz et al. 2021. La liste taxinomique de l'herpétofaune de la Tunisie comprend les espèces repérées dans les temps historiques européens et méditerranéens, des espèces pour lesquelles au moins une population reproductrice est connue. ...
Article
Full-text available
Une nouvelle liste taxinomique de référence est établie pour les Amphibiens et les « Reptiles » de la Tunisie. À côté du nom scientifique zoologique international, un nom scientifique français est joint à chaque taxon. L'herpétofaune tunisienne compte actuellement sept espèces d' Amphibiens et 62 de « Reptiles ». Mots-clés : Amphibiens, noms scientifiques français, noms scientifiques zoologiques internationaux, Reptiles, Tunisie. Summary-A new taxonomic checklist is established for the Amphibians and "Reptiles" of Tunisia. In addition to international zoological scientific names, a French scientific name is attributed to each taxon. The Tunisian herpetofauna presently contains seven species of Amphibians and 62 of "Reptiles".
... However, Figueroa et al. (2016) transferred the species back to the genus Malpolon, owing to the fact that the species forms a monophyletic clade with Malpolon. Note that two previous studies (Vidal et al., 2008;Böhme and De Pury, 2011), "inaccurately" cite Kelly et al. (2008) as providing evidence for their separation. We follow Figueroa et al. (2016) for the position of the Moila Snake within Malpolon, even though few recent authors (e.g., Bauer et al., 2017;Carranza et al., 2018) seem to follow that arrangement. ...
Article
Full-text available
Morocco has one of the highest levels of biodiversity and endemism in the Western Palaearctic, which is mainly attributable to the country’s complex topographic and climatic patterns that favoured allopatric speciation. Taxonomic studies of Moroccan amphibians and reptiles have increased noticeably during the last few decades, including the recognition of new species and the revision of other taxa. In this study, we provide a taxonomically updated checklist and notes on nomenclatural changes based on studies published before April 2020. The updated checklist includes 130 extant species (i.e., 14 amphibians and 116 reptiles, including six sea turtles), increasing considerably the number of species compared to previous recent assessments. Arabic names of the species are also provided as a response to the demands of many Moroccan naturalists. Keywords. North Africa, Morocco, Herpetofauna, Species list, Nomenclature
... n. sp. can be also differentiated from the following North African psammophiids and lamprophiids: from Boaedon fuliginosus (Boié H. in Boié F., 1827) by its much greater extent of prezygapophyseal accessory processes, wider cotyle and condyle, more depressed neural arch, and most principally the absence of hypapophyses in the posterior trunk vertebrae; from Lycophidion capense (Smith, 1831), by the absence of hypapophyses in its mid-and posterior trunk vertebrae (see Bogert, 1940;Malnate, 1972); from Psammophis schokari (Forskål, 1775), and P. sibilans (Linnaeus, 1758), by its shorter and broader centrum, less curved postzygapophyses, and different shape, orientation, acuteness, and inclination of the prezygapophyseal accessory processes; from Rhagerhis moilensis (Reuss, 1834) by its shorter centrum and the wider haemal keel (see figs in Böhme & de Pury, 2011). ...
Article
We herein describe Sardophis elaphoides Georgalis & Delfino n. gen. n. sp., a new snake taxon from the early Pleistocene of Monte Tuttavista VI, Sardinia, Italy. Sardophis elaphoides Georgalis & Delfino n. gen. n. sp. possesses a distinct vertebral anatomy and is diagnosed by a unique combination of features. The new Sardinian taxon is further compared in detail and differentiated from all extant European and North African snake species. Although the affinities of Sardophis elaphoides Georgalis & Delfino n. gen. n. sp. with colubroids are clear, its more inclusive relationships within that clade cannot be resolved with certainty. Being an insular form, Sardophis elaphoides Georgalis & Delfino n. gen. n. sp. adds significantly to our so far poor knowledge of island endemic snakes. An overview of the fossil record of snakes from the Mediterranean islands is provided. The new species increases the number of reptile taxa that went extinct in Sardinia during the late Neogene and Quaternary.
... The genus Malpolon Fitzinger, 1826 currently counts two Mediterranean species (Böhme and De Pury, 2011), Malpolon monspessulanus (Hermann, 1804) (western Montpellier snake) which ranges from Liguria (W Italy) through France, Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, and Western Sahara (Fahd and Pleguezuelos, 2001;Geniez et al., 2006;Sindaco et al., 2013); M. insignitus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827) (eastern Montipellier snake), which spread from eastern Morocco eastward around the Mediterranean Sea, reaching Anatolia and Balkan, Middle East, Iraq and Iran, and also Caucasia and Transcaucasia. (Sindaco et al., 2013). ...
Article
Full-text available
Central and southern Iraq in the area adjacent to and between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, known as Mesopota-mian plain. The Mesopotamian plain is a geological depression filled with rivers sediments which covers the central and southern part of Iraq. It is plain of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, beings north of Baghdad and extends to southern Iraq, bordered by High Mountain in the east, desert from the west, and Persian Gulf from the south. An area of diverse physical features leading to rich biodiversity. An investigation of the status of snakes in central and southern Iraq was carried out from September 2013 to May 2015. A total of 138 specimens were collected and identified.
... A continuación se comentan ciertos datos relevantes, bien por la escasez de registros, bien por ser nuevas localidades destacables en la distribución de alguno de los taxones. Se utiliza el género Bufo en espera de una revisión exhaustiva y clarificadora de la totalidad del género (Frost et al., 2006;Carretero et al., 2011;Pyron & Wiens, 2011), Trapelus mutabilis es asignado actualmente a Trapelus boehmei (Wagner et al., 2011), Uromastyx acanthinura nigriventris ha sido recientemente propuesto como especie (Wilms et al., 2009), algunos trabajos apuntan que Acanthodactylus lineomaculatus sería una subespecie de A. erythrurus (Harris et al., 2004;Fonseca et al., 2009) y Böhme & de Pury (2011) proponen que Scutophis moilensis sea designado con el género Rhagerhis. ...
... Within Psammophiinae, we synonymize Rhagerhis moilensis with Malpolon. This species consistently forms a monophyletic clade with Malpolon [15,28,62,97] (Fig 5A), but two studies [64,98], inaccurately cite Kelly et al [62] as providing evidence for their separation. In Aparallactinae, we synonymize Xenocalamus with Amblyodipsas (Fig 5A), also recovered in Pyron et al [15], the only other study including these taxa. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background: With over 3,500 species encompassing a diverse range of morphologies and ecologies, snakes make up 36% of squamate diversity. Despite several attempts at estimating higher-level snake relationships and numerous assessments of generic- or species-level phylogenies, a large-scale species-level phylogeny solely focusing on snakes has not been completed. Here, we provide the largest-yet estimate of the snake tree of life using maximum likelihood on a supermatrix of 1745 taxa (1652 snake species + 7 outgroup taxa) and 9,523 base pairs from 10 loci (5 nuclear, 5 mitochondrial), including previously unsequenced genera (2) and species (61). Results: Increased taxon sampling resulted in a phylogeny with a new higher-level topology and corroborate many lower-level relationships, strengthened by high nodal support values (> 85%) down to the species level (73.69% of nodes). Although the majority of families and subfamilies were strongly supported as monophyletic with > 88% support values, some families and numerous genera were paraphyletic, primarily due to limited taxon and loci sampling leading to a sparse supermatrix and minimal sequence overlap between some closely-related taxa. With all rogue taxa and incertae sedis species eliminated, higher-level relationships and support values remained relatively unchanged, except in five problematic clades. Conclusion: Our analyses resulted in new topologies at higher- and lower-levels; resolved several previous topological issues; established novel paraphyletic affiliations; designated a new subfamily, Ahaetuliinae, for the genera Ahaetulla, Chrysopelea, Dendrelaphis, and Dryophiops; and appointed Hemerophis (Coluber) zebrinus to a new genus, Mopanveldophis. Although we provide insight into some distinguished problematic nodes, at the deeper phylogenetic scale, resolution of these nodes may require sampling of more slowly-evolving nuclear genes.
... The genus Malpolon Fitzinger, 1826 currently counts two Mediterranean species (Böhme and De Pury, 2011), Malpolon monspessulanus (Hermann, 1804) (western Montpellier snake) which ranges from Liguria (W Italy) through France, Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, and Western Sahara (Fahd and Pleguezuelos, 2001;Geniez et al., 2006;Sindaco et al., 2013); M. insignitus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827) (eastern Montipellier snake), which spread from eastern Morocco eastward around the Mediterranean Sea, reaching Anatolia and Balkan, Middle East, Iraq and Iran, and also Caucasia and Transcaucasia. (Sindaco et al., 2013). ...
Article
Full-text available
Central and southern Iraq in the area adjacent to and between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, known as Mesopotamian plain. The Mesopotamian plain is a geological depression filled with rivers sediments which covers the central and southern part of Iraq. It is plain of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, beings north of Baghdad and extends to southern Iraq, bordered by High Mountain in the east, desert from the west, and Persian Gulf from the south. An area of diverse physical features leading to rich biodiversity. An investigation of the status of snakes in central and southern Iraq was carried out from September 2013 to May 2015. A total of 138 specimens were collected and identified. Five families, 13 genera, and 17 species are represented, including Lyptotyphlopidae: Lyptotyphlops macrorhyncha (Jan, 1861); Boidae: Eryx jaculus jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758), Eryx jaculus familiaris Eichwald, 1831, Eryx cf. miliaris (Pallas, 1773); Lamprophiidae: Psammophis schokari (Forsskål, 1775), Malpolon insignitus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827), Rhagerhis moilensis (Reuss, 1834); Colubridae: Dolichophis cf. caspius (Gmelin, 1789), Dolichophis jugularis (Linnaeus 1785), Dolichophis cf. schmidti (Nikolsky, 1909), Spalerosophis diadema cliffordi (Schlegel, 1837), Platyceps ventromaculatus (Gray, 1834), Natrix tessellata (Laurenti, 1768); and Viperidae: Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi K. Schmidt, 1930, Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758), Cerastes gasperettii gasperettii Leviton et Anderson, 1967, and Echis carinatus Stemmler, 1969. According to the literature, 41 species of snakes were found in Iraq and according to the results of this survey 17 species and subspecies (~41%) of them occur in central and southern Iraq. Of these, 10 species are aglypha, 3 species opisthoglypha and 4 species proteroglypha. This study was conducted in 27 sampling localities and these project areas represent typical environment and climate of the central and southern regions of Iraq.
... The genus Malpolon Fitzinger 1826 belongs to the subfamily Psammophiinae (family Lamprophiidae; Pyron et al., 2013), a taxonomic group of snakes which includes 49 species (Uetz and Hošek, 2013) with an Afro-asiatic distribution (Sindaco et al., 2013;Uetz and Hošek, 2013). The genus currently counts two Mediterranean species (Böhme and De Pury, 2011), which show allopatric geographic distributions (Fig. 1): Malpolon monspessulanus Hermann 1804 (western Montpellier snake), which ranges from Liguria (W Italy) through France, Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, and Western Sahara (Fahd and Pleguezuelos, 2001;Geniez et al., 2006;Sindaco et al., 2013); M. insignitus Geoffroy Sant-Hilaire 1827 (eastern Montpellier snake), which spreads from eastern Morocco eastward around the Mediterranean Sea, reaching Anatolia and Balkans, Middle East, Iraq and Iran, and also Caucasia and Transcaucasia (Sindaco et al., 2013). Two subspecies are currently recognized within each species (Fig. 1, see also Sindaco et al., 2013;Uetz and Hošek, 2013): M. insignitus insignitus Geoffroy Sant-Hilaire 1827, which occurs in the eastern coast of Mediterranean Africa (from eastern Morocco to Egypt) and Middle East (De Haan, 1999;Carranza et al., 2006), and M. i. fuscus Fleischmann 1831, which occupies the remnant part of the areal (Balkans, Anatolia, Caucasia and Transcaucasia, Iraq and Iran;Fig. ...
Article
Full-text available
The Montpellier snake Malpolon monspessulanus is a wide-ranging species that inhabits Western and East-ern Europe, North Africa and Middle East. Four clades have been recognised as two species, M. insignitus and M. monspessulanus, each with two subspecies. Clades have been substantially identified on the basis of molecular data, pholidosis and colouration, while morphometric traits have been ignored. We compared head shape of 54 specimens belonging to three out of the four clades (M. insignitus insignitus, M. i. fuscus, and M. monspessulanus monspessu-lanus) by means of geometric morphometrics. We found a significant differentiation: the supraocular and frontal area showed the largest amount of variation, being respectively much thinner in M. i. insignitus, a bit less thin in M. i. fuscus and definitely wider in M. m. monspessulanus. Our findings are fully in agreement with the genetic studies and phylogeny explains more than 20% of the observed variation, supporting the taxonomic distinction inside the genus Malpolon. The functional and/or adaptive meaning of the observed differences is not clear, but it seems unlikely that it may be related to diet. Combining morphological data with phylogeography and environmental features, we formu-lated an explanatory hypothesis that allowed a precise and testable prediction.
... For many years, Rhagerhis moilensis has been congeneric with Malpolon monspessulanus. Böhme & de Pury (2011) allocated Rhagerhis moilensis to accommodate its type species Coelopeltis productus. Main diagnostic characters for this genus include the skull structure that formed the typical head shape of Rhagerhis moilensis, the longer neck ribs (3 mm longer than in equal-sized Malpolon), that allows the spreading of the neck, and the pattern of the dorsal scale which is is drastically different in Rhagerhis moilensis than both Malpolon insignitus and M. monspessulanus. ...
Article
Full-text available
The present study consists of both locality records and of literary data for 37 species and subspecies of snakes reported from Jordan. Within the past decade snake taxonomy was re-evaluated employing molecular techniques that resulted in reconsideration of several taxa. Thus, it is imperative now to revise the taxonomic status of snakes in Jordan to update workers in Jordan and the surrounding countries with these nomenclatural changes. The snake fauna of Jordan consists of 37 species and subspecies belonging to seven families (Typhlopidae, Leptotyphlopidae, Boidae, Colubridae, Atractaspididae, Elapidae and Viperidae). Families Leptotyphlopidae, Boidae and Elapidae are represented by a single species each, Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus, Eryx jaculus and Walterinnesia aegyptia respectively. The families Typhlopidae and Atractaspididae are represented by two and three species respectively. Species of the former genus Coluber were updated and the newly adopted names are included. Family Colubridae is represented by twelve genera (Dolichophis, Eirenis, Hemorrhois, Lytorhynchus, Malpolon, Natrix, Platyceps, Psammophis, Rhagerhis, Rhynchocalamus, Spalerosophis and Telescopus) and includes 24 species. Family Viperidae includes fi ve genera (Cerastes, Daboia, Echis, Macrovipera and Pseudocerastes), each of which is represented by a single species, except the genus Cerastes which is represented by two subspecies. We also included distributional data for all species. Scale counts and body measurements are given for most species. Notes on biology and ecology as well as distribution maps and a complete listing for all previous and recent records are provided for each species. Zoogeographic analysis for the snake fauna of Jordan is also given, along with notes on species status and conservation.
Article
Full-text available
Review of a book on Amphibians and Reptiles of Morocco. Maghreb Afrique du Nord Maroc Amphibia Reptilia Sauria Serpentes Amphisbaenia Chasseur de serpent Charmeur de serpent Biogéographie Maladie Alien Prédation Prédateur DOR Routes Pièges involontaires Mortalité Caudata Salamandridae Goldfuss, 1820 Pleurodeles waltl Michaelles, 1830 Salamandra algira Bedriaga, 1883 Anura Alytidae Fitzinger, 1843 Alytes maurus Pasteur & Bons, 1962 Discoglossus pictus Otth, 1837 Discoglossus scovazzi Camerano, 1878 Pelobatidae Bonaparte, 1850 Pelobates varaldii Pasteur & Bons, 1959 Bufonidae Gray, 1825 Barbarophryne brongersmai (Hoogmoed, 1972) Bufo spinosus Daudin, 1803 Bufotes boulengeri (Lataste, 1879) Sclerophrys mauritanica (Schlegel, 1841) Sclerophrys xeros (Tandy, Tandy, Keith & Duff-MacKay, 1976) Hylidae Rafinesque, 1815 Hyla meridionalis Boettger, 1874 Ranidae Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1814 Pelophylax saharicus (Boulenger in Hartert, 1913) Dicroglossidae Anderson, 1871 Hoplobatrachus occipitalis (Günther, 1858) Chelonii Testudinidae Batsch, 1788 Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758 Geoemydidae Theobald, 1868 Mauremys leprosa (Schweigger, 1812) Emydidae Rafinesque, 1815 Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758) Gekkota Sphaerodactylidae Underwood, 1954 Quedenfeldtia moerens (Chabanaud, 1916) Quedenfeldtia trachyblepharus (Boettger, 1874) Saurodactylus brosseti Bons & Pasteur, 1957 Saurodactylus fasciatus Werner, 1931 Saurodactylus mauritanicus (Duméril & Bibron, 1836) Gekkonidae Oppel, 1811 Gekkonidae Gray, 1825 Hemidactylus angulatus Hallowell, 1854 Hemidactylus turcicus (Linnaeus, 1758) Stenodactylus mauritanicus Guichenot, 1850 Stenodactylus petrii Anderson, 1896 Stenodactylus sthenodactylus (Lichtenstein, 1823) Tropiocolotes algericus Loveridge, 1940 Tropiocolotes tripolitanus Peters, 1880 Phyllodactylidae Gamble, Bauer, Greenbaum & Jackman, 2008 Ptyodactylus oudrii Lataste, 1880 Tarentola annularis (É. Geoffroy de Saint-Hilaire, 1827) Tarentola boehmei Joger, 1984 Tarentola chazaliae (Mocquard, 1895) Tarentola deserti Boulenger, 1891 Tarentola hoggarensis Werner, 1937 Tarentola mauritanica (Linnaeus, 1758) Tarentola parvicarinata Joger, 1980 Scincoidea Scincidae Oppel, 1811 Scincidae Gray, 1825 Chalcides boulengeri ANDERSON, 1892 Chalcides colosii Lanza, 1957 Chalcides delislei (Lataste & Rochebrune, 1876) Chalcides delislei (Lataste, 1876) Chalcides ebneri Werner, 1931 Chalcides lanzai PASTEUR, 1967 Chalcides manueli HEDIGER, 1935 Chalcides mauritanicus (Duméril & Bibron, 1839) Chalcides minutus Caputo, 1993 Chalcides mionecton (Boettger , 1874) Chalcides montanus WERNER, 1931 Chalcides ocellatus (Forsskal, 1775) Chalcides parallelus (Doumergue, 1901) Chalcides polylepis Boulenger, 1890 Chalcides pseudostriatus Caputo, 1993 Chalcides sphenopsiformis (A.H.A. Duméril, 1856) Eumeces algeriensis Peters, 1864 Scincus albifasciatus Boulenger, 1890 Scincopus fasciatus (Peters, 1864) Lacertoidea Blanidae Kearney, 2003 Blanus mettetali Bons, 1963 Blanus tingitanus Busack, 1988 Trogonophiidae Gray, 1865 Trogonophis wiegmanni Kaup, 1830 Lacertidae Batsch, 1788 Acanthodactylus cf. audouini Boulenger, 1918 Acanthodactylus audouini Boulenger, 1918 Acanthodactylus aureus Günther, 1903 Acanthodactylus boskianus (Daudin, 1802) Acanthodactylus busacki Salvador, 1982 Acanthodactylus dumerilii (Milne-Edwards, 1829) Acanthodactylus erythrurus (Schinz, 1833) Acanthodactylus longipes Boulenger, 1918 Acanthodactylus maculatus (Gray, 1838) Acanthodactylus margaritae Tamar, Geniez, Brito & Crochet, 2017 Acanthodactylus taghitensis Geniez & Foucart, 1995 Atlantolacerta andreanskyi (Werner, 1929) Mesalina guttulata (Lichtenstein, 1823) Mesalina olivieri (Audouin, 1829) Mesalina pasteuri (BONS, 1960) Mesalina rubropunctata (Lichtenstein, 1823) Mesalina simoni (BOETTGER, 1881) Ophisops occidentalis (Boulenger, 1887) Podarcis vaucheri (Boulenger, 1905) Psammodromus algirus (Linnæus, 1758) Psammodromus blanci (Lataste, 1880) Psammodromus microdactylus Boettger, 1881 Scelarcis perspicillata (Duméril & Bibron, 1839) Timon tangitanus (Boulenger, 1891) Anguimorpha Anguidae Gray, 1825 Hyalosaurus koellikeri Günther, 1873 (sic) Varanidae Merrem, 1820 Varanus griseus (Daudin, 1803) Iguania Agamidae Spix, 1825 Agamidae Fitzinger, 1826 Agama boueti Chabanaud, 1917 Agama boulengeri Lataste, 1886 Agama impalearis Boettger, 1874 Trapelus boehmei Wagner, Melville, Wilms & Schmitz, 2011 Uromastyx dispar Heyden, 1827 Uromastyx nigriventris Rothschild & Hartert, 1912 Uromastyx occidentalis Mateo, Geniez, Lopez-Jurado & Bons, 1998 Chamaeleonidae Gray, 1825 Chamaeleo chamaeleon (Linnaeus, 1758) Serpentes Leptotyphlopidae Stejneger, 1892 Myriopholis algeriensis (Jacquet, 1895) Boidae Gray, 1825 Eryx jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758) Colubridae Oppel, 1811 Coronella girondica (Daudin, 1803) Dasypeltis sahelensis Trape & Mané, 2006 Hemorrhois algirus (Jan, 1863) Hemorrhois hippocrepis (Linnaeus, 1758) Lytorhynchus diadema (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854) Macroprotodon abubakeri Wade, 2001 Macroprotodon brevis (Günther, 1862) Natrix astreptophora (Seoane, 1884) Natrix maura (Linnaeus, 1758) Spalerosophis diadema (Schlegel, 1837) Spalerosophis dolichospilus (Werner, 1923) Telescopus tripolitanus (Werner, 1909) Lamprophiidae Boie, 1827 Boaedon fuliginosus (Boie, 1827) MALPOLON INSIGNITUS (GEOFFROY SAINT-HILAIRE, 1827) Malpolon monspessulanus (HERMANN, 1804) Psammophis schokari (Forsskal, 1775) Rhagerhis moilensis (Reuss, 1834) Elapidae Boie, 1827 Naja haje (Linnaeus, 1758) Viperidae Oppel, 1811 Bitis arietans (Merrem, 1820) Cerastes cerastes (Linnaeus, 1758) Cerastes vipera (Linnaeus, 1758) Daboia mauritanica (Gray, 1849) Echis pyramidum (Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, 1827) Vipera latastei Bosca, 1878 Inventaire Atlas Carte de répartition Reproduction Ecologie Habitat Alimentation Menaces Chat Procambarus Gambusia holbrooki Viande de brousse Tourisme Touriste Commerce animal Traces Mue
Article
Full-text available
Libya has one of the most depauperate reptile faunas in Africa, but it also remains one of the most poorly documented. Although localized collecting was carried out during the Italian colonial period (1912–1943), post-World War II field surveys have largely been limited to El Kouf National Park in northern Cyrenaica and a number of short duration field trips in other parts of the country. A combination of limited accessibility to much of the country and periods of political instability have precluded more extensive herpetological research in contrast to some other regions of North Africa, although there has been active research by Libyan scientists in recent years. In order to provide a starting point for future faunal and biogeographic studies of Libyan reptiles we collected locality data from 3350 museum specimens and 163 literature sources, yielding 683 unique localities which we georeferenced and used to generate a gazetteer and corresponding index maps as well as species maps of each of the 66 species of reptiles confirmed to occur in Libya. Data relating to type material as well as taxonomic and distributional comments are also provided for each taxon. Libyan reptiles include three marine turtles (only one nesting), three terrestrial chelonians (one with two subspecies), 39 lizards (two with two subspecies), and 21 snakes. Tarentola fascicularis (Phyllodactylidae) is a species complex represented by several, as yet undescribed taxa. Three subspecies and one full species of reptile are currently regarded as endemic to Libya, although Myriopholis lanzai, from southwestern Fezzan, is likely to occur in neighboring Algeria. Libya’s fauna is very different form that of its southern neighbors, in which Sahel taxa predominate, but similarities with Egypt, Tunisia, and especially Algeria, are great. The dominant biogeographic pattern in Libya is the contrasts between the narrow Mediterranean zone and the arid zones of the Sahara Desert and steppe-desert transition. However, many species of mesic areas occur sporadically in the arid zone, usually in association with oases, and others seem euryoecious. A secondary pattern is an east-west division of the Mediterranean zone in the Gulf of Sirte, which separates Tripolitanian taxa with faunal ties to the Maghreb from Cyrenaican taxa with affinities to Egypt and even the Middle East.
Article
Full-text available
In the present study, we investigated and documented the morphology of the male copulatory organs (hemipenes) in fifteen wide-ranging snake species. The species represent four families (Boidae, Colubridae, Lamprophiidae, and Viperidae) and ten genera. We applied the same preparation techniques for all species, successfully everting and expanding the organs completely. The detailed description of the general morphology of the male copulatory organs was based on 31 specimens. Our data were compared with published observations and we point out some incorrectly described details in previous investigations. We provide the first description of the hemipenial morphology for three ophidian species (Elaphe sauromates, Telescopus fallax, and Malpolon insignitus). In addition to the morphological characteristics of the hemipenes presented in the research, we propose the adoption of a standardized index describing the hemipenial proportions. The immense variation in hemipenial morphology presupposes its dynamic evolution, but we suggest that many of the significant structures observed here may have escaped previous researchers due to differing methodologies. Some of the highly ornamented morphologies that we describe are consistent with a locking mechanism during copulation. However, other morphologies may relate to the variety of mating behaviors observed. As a result, we propose that sexual selection is the major driver affecting the hemipenial ornamentation in snakes.
Article
The family Psammophiidae is unique in its behaviour among snakes in applying a special secretion of their nasal glands on their own abdomen and flanks. This so-called self-rubbing behaviour has not been experimentally analysed so far. We provide evidence that self-rubbing behaviour is temperature-dependent and helps to protect the snakes against desiccation due to the lipids contained in the nasal secretion. A SEM study of the scale ultrastructure of several psammophiids shows that the complex ultrastructure serves to optimally keep the secretion on the scale surface. We furthermore document the occurrence of self-rubbing behaviour for two species of Rhamphiophis, viz. R. rostratus and R. rubropunctatus, bringing the number of psammophiid genera from which this behaviour is known to seven (of the eight currently recognised genera),from two more species, viz. Psammophis elegans, and Psammophylax acutus. © 2013 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde e.V. (DGHT), Mannheim, Germany.
Article
This study constitutes the first evolutionary investigation of the snake family Psammophiidae--the most widespread, most clearly defined, yet perhaps the taxonomically most problematic of Africa's family-level snake lineages. Little is known of psammophiid evolutionary relationships, and the type genus Psammophis is one of the largest and taxonomically most complex of the African snake genera. Our aims were to reconstruct psammophiid phylogenetic relationships and to improve characterisation of species boundaries in problematic Psammophis species complexes. We used approximately 2500 bases of DNA sequence from the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes, and 114 terminals covering all psammophiid genera and incorporating approximately 75% of recognised species and subspecies. Phylogenetic reconstructions were conducted primarily in a Bayesian framework and we used the Wiens/Penkrot protocol to aid species delimitation. Rhamphiophis is diphyletic, with Rhamphiophis acutus emerging sister to Psammophylax. Consequently we transfer the three subspecies of Rhamphiophis acutus to the genus Psammophylax. The monotypic genus Dipsina is sister to Psammophis. The two species of Dromophis occupy divergent positions deeply nested within Psammophis, and we therefore relegate Dromophis to the synonymy of Psammophis. Our results allow division of the taxonomically problematic Psammophis 'sibilans' species complex into two monophyletic entities, provisionally named the 'phillipsii' and 'subtaeniatus' complexes. Within these two clades we found support for the status of many existing species, but not for a distinction between P.p. phillipsii and P. mossambicus. Additionally, P. cf. phillipsii occidentalis deserves species status as the sister taxon of P. brevirostris.