Lycophidion multimaculatum BOETTGER, 1888
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Lycophidion multimaculatum
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| Higher Taxa | Lamprophiidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Cape Wolf Snake multimaculatum: Spotted Wolf Snake G: Kap-Wolfsnatter |
| Synonym | Lycophidion capense mut. multimaculata BOETTGER 1888: 67 Lycophidion capense multimaculatum — LAURENT 1956 Lycophidion capense multimaculatum — LAURENT 1968 Lycophidion capense multimaculatum — TRAPE & ROUX-ESTÈVE 1995: 38 Lycophidion capense multimaculatum — AUERBACH 1987: 157 Lycophidion multimaculatum — BROADLEY 1991: 528 Lycophidion capense multimaculatum — BROADLEY & HOWELL 1991: 25 Lycophidion multimaculatum — HAAGNER et al. 2000 Lycophidion multimaculatum — BROADLEY & COTTERILL 2004 Lycophidion multimaculatum — CHIRIO & LEBRETON 2007 Lycophidion multimaculatum — WALLACH et al. 2014: 410 Lycophidion multimaculatum — SPAWLS et al. 2018: 400 |
| Distribution | Congo (Brazzaville), Angola, N Namibia, S Zaire, W/N Zambia, Tanzania (Tatanda, Sumbawanga District), Cameroon, Republic of South Sudan (RSS), Sudan (Jumhūriyyat) Type locality: “bei Povo Nemlao [...] bei Povo Netonna, nächst Banana” (two localities for the 2 syntypes) |
| Reproduction | oviparous (not imputed, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
| Types | Lectotype: SMF 17973 (formerly 7340a) |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Nostril pierced at the posterior edge of the nasal, bordered by a postnasal that is in contact with the first supralabial. Dorsal scales with single apical pits in 17- 17-15 rows, the reduction taking place well before the vent; ventrals 159-182 in males, 153-188 in females; subcaudals 26-38 in males, 22-33 in females (Broadley 1996: 19). Coloration: There is considerable geographical variation in the colouration of this species. The types from Banana, together with material from Angola and western Zambia, are red-brown to grey with white stippling, except for a double series of irregular dark blotches which may be confluent to form crossbands. The ventrum is largely white, but the chin may be dark and there is a dark median stripe or series of confluent dark blotches. Specimens from northwestern Zambia are darker, i.e. dorsum black, but a dense white stippling gives a blue-grey appearance except where unmarked areas leave large black blotches which may be confluent to form crossbands (specimens from northeastern Zambia and adjacent Tanzania are uniform blue-grey), stippling on top of head tends to form vermiculations. Ventrum blue-grey except for chin and throat and free edges of the ventrals, which are white (Broadley 1996: 19). Skull: There is geographical variation in skull shape, the dwarfed specimens from the Caprivi Strip and western Zambia are neotenic, with a short skull lacking parietal crests. Specimens from northeastern Zambia and adjacent Tanzania are larger, with elongate skulls which have parietal crests not confluent posteriorly (Broadley 1996: 19). Size: Largest male (ZSM 131/1954a - Bela Vista, Angola) 286 + 41 = 327 mm; largest female (MCZ 74128 - Lunda, N.E. Angola) 475 + 53 = 528 mm. Specimens from the southern edge of the species range (Caprivi strip and western Zambia) are dwarfed, perhaps due to character displacement where in contact with the larger species L. capense (Broadley 1996: 19). Diagnosis: also in Laurent 1968: 474. |
| Comment | Distribution: Map: Broadley 1996 |
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