Aparallactus
Aparallactus modestus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Atractaspididae
Subfamily: Aparallactinae
Genus: Aparallactus
A. Smith, 1849
Common name: centipede eaters.

Aparallactus is a genus of rear-fanged mildly venomous snakes found in Africa. Currently, 11 species are recognized.[1]

Description

Maxillary short, with 6-9 small teeth followed by a large grooved fang situated below the eye. Anterior mandibular teeth longest. Head small, not distinct from neck. Eye small, with round pupil. Nasal entire or divided; no loreal. Body cylindrical; tail moderate or short. Dorsal scales smooth, without pits, arranged in 15 rows. Ventrals rounded; subcaudals single (not divided or paired).[2]

Species

Genus Aparallactus -- 11 species
Species[1] Taxon author[1] Subspecies*[1] Common name[3] Geographic range[3]
A. capensisT A. Smith, 1849 bocagei
luebberti
punctatolineatus		 Cape centipede-eater Republic of South Africa, Eswatini, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A. guentheri Boulenger, 1895 ———— black centipede-eater Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Angola, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zanzibar.
A. jacksonii (Günther, 1888) ———— Jackson's centipede-eater Ethiopia, north Tanzania, south Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda.
A. lineatus (W. Peters, 1870) ———— lined centipede-eater Guinea, Liberia, Ghana, Cameroon.
A. lunulatus (W. Peters, 1854) nigrocollaris
scortecci		 reticulated centipede-eater Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Republic of South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana to Eritrea, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Somalia, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Botswana, Tanzania.
A. modestus (Günther, 1859) ubangensis western forest centipede-eater Central African Republic, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Gabon.
A. moeruensis de Witte & Laurent, 1943 ———— Zaire centipede-eater South Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A. niger Boulenger, 1897 ———— Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast.
A. nigriceps (W. Peters, 1854) ———— Mozambique centipede-eater South eastern Mozambique around Inhambane.
A. turneri Loveridge, 1935 ———— Malindi centipede-eater Coastal Kenya.
A. werneri Boulenger, 1895 ———— Usambara centipede-eater Eastern Tanzania, Usambara and Uluguru Mountains.

*) Not including the nominate subspecies. T) Type species.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Aparallactus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  2. ↑ Boulenger GA. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ) ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (Genus Aparallactus, pp. 255-256).
  3. 1 2 Aparallactus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 7 May 2009.

Further reading

  • Branch, Bill. 2004. Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Genus Aparallactus, p. 63).
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