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Macrelaps microlepidotus (GÜNTHER, 1860)

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Higher TaxaAtractaspididae (Aparallactinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Kwazulu-Natal Black Snake
G: Natal-Schwarzschlange 
SynonymUriechis microlepidotus GÜNTHER 1860: 168
Uriechis microlepidotus — GURNEY 1860: 342
Atractaspis natalensis PETERS 1877: 616
Macrelaps microlepidotus — BOULENGER 1897: 375
Macrelaps microlepidotus — DE WITTE & LAURENT 1947
Macrelaps microlepidotus — WELCH 1994: 73
Macrelaps microlepidotus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 417 
DistributionRepublic of South Africa (Natal, Cape Province)

Type locality: Port Elizabeth, Algoa Bay (in error), corrected to D’Urban (=Durban), Port Natal (=Natal) by GURNEY 1860).  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesSyntypes: BMNH 1946.1.3.9, 1946.1.8.67
Syntypes: ZMB 4102, 7883 [Atractaspis natalensis] 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (2866 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentVenomous!

Type species: Uriechis microlepidotus GÜNTHER 1860 is the type species of the genus Macrelaps BOULENGER 1897.

Phylogenetics: see Portillo et al. 2018 for a phylogenetic analysis of members of Aparallactinae, inlcuding members of Macrelaps. 
EtymologyNamed after Greek mikros (= small) + lepidotos (= scaled), referring to the relatively small scales. 
References
  • Bates, M.F.; Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M.; Burger, M., Marais, J.; Alexander, G.J. & de Villliers, M.S. (eds.) 2014. Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland. Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 512 pp.
  • Bogert,C.M. 1940. Herpetological results of the Vernay Angola Expedition. I. Snakes, including an arrangement of the African Colubridae. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 77: 1-107 - get paper here
  • Boulenger,G.A. 1897. On little-known snakes from Natal. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (6) 20: 374-376 - get paper here
  • CONRADIE, W. & T. BUSSCHAU. 2018. Macrelaps microlepidotus (Günther, 1860). African Herp News (67): 41 - get paper here
  • Conradie, W., J. Venter, et al. 2012. Geographic Distributions: Macrelaps microlepidotus (Günther, 1860) Natal Black Snake. African Herp News (58): 19-21 - get paper here
  • Günther, A. 1860. Description of Uriechis microlepidotes, a new snake from South Africa. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (3) 5: 168-169 - get paper here
  • Gurney,J.H. 1860. Uriechis microlepidotus. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) 5: 342 - get paper here
  • Marais, J.J. 1980. Macrelaps microlepidotus Breeding Records. J. Herp. Assoc. Africa (24): 39-39 - get paper here
  • O’Shea, M. 2018. The Book of Snakes. Ivy Press / Quarto Publishing, London, - get paper here
  • Peters, Wilhem Carl Hartwig 1877. Übersicht der Amphibien aus Chinchoxo (Westafrika), welche von der Africanischen Gesellschaft dem Berliner zoologischen Museum übergeben sind. Monatsber. königl. Akad. Wiss. Berlin. 1877 (October): 611-620 - get paper here
  • Portillo, F., Branch, W.R., Conradie, W., Rödel, M-O., Penner, J., Barej, M.F., Kusamba, C., Muninga, W.M., Aristote, M.M., Bauer, A.M., Trape, J-F., Nagy, Z.T., Carlino, P., Pauwels, O.S.G., Menegon, M., Burger, M., Mazuch, T., Jackson, K., Hughes, 2018. Phylogeny and biogeography of the African burrowing snake subfamily Aparallactinae (Squamata: Lamprophiidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution - get paper here
  • Venter, Jan A.; Werner Conradie 2015. A checklist of the reptiles and amphibians found in protected areas along the South African Wild Coast, with notes on conservation implications. Koedoe 57 (1): 1-25. doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v57i1.1247 - get paper here
  • Wallach, Van; Kenneth L. Williams , Jeff Boundy 2014. Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species. [type catalogue] Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.
  • Witte, G. F. de & LAURENT,R.F. 1947. Revision d'un groupe de Colubridae africains: genres Calamelaps, Miodon, Aparallactus, et formes affines. Mém. Mus. Roy. Hist. Nat. Belgique (sér. 2) 29: 1-134
 
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