2023/08/15 by Bates, Michael F.
paper · doi:10.20363/bzb-2023.72.2.163
A subspecies of egg-eating snake, Dasypeltis scabra loveridgei Mertens, 1954, from Namibia, has been considered a junior synonym of Dasypeltis scabra (Linnaeus, 1758) by most authors since 1983. A detailed morphological analysis of 153 preserved museum specimens from Namibia was conducted in order to re-evaluate the taxonomic status of egg-eaters in the country. Two distinct morphotypes, ‘scabra’ and ‘loveridgei’, were identified. In Namibia, Dasypeltis loveridgei is typically distinguished from D. scabra as follows: mid-dorsal saddles in the form of dark brown hourglass-shaped markings (versus quadrants, ovals or irregular shapes); belly with a single row of dark markings at the edges (versus 2–3 rows or heavily marked); six supralabials on either side of head, 2nd and 3rd in contact with the orbital (versus 7 [3,4]); internasals longer (versus shorter) than the prefrontals; top of rostral barely visible when head is viewed from above (versus clearly visible); frontal often smooth to moderately pitted (versus usually largely to extensively pitted); inter-prefrontal sulcus weakly marked or moderate (versus often deep and distinct). Dasypeltis scabra occurs in central and north- eastern Namibia, with a single record in the south-west which may be associated with populations in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa; D. loveridgei, which is here shown to be a valid species, is widespread in the country, excluding the north-east, but largely restricted to areas above 1000 m a.s.l. The two species are sympatric at a few localities in central Namibia, and parapatric in several areas throughout the country.