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Meizodon semiornatus (PETERS, 1854)

IUCN Red List - Meizodon semiornatus - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaColubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
SubspeciesMeizodon semiornatus semiornatus (PETERS 1854)
Meizodon semiornatus tchadensis (CHABANAUD 1917) 
Common NamesE: Semiornate Smooth Snake 
SynonymCoronella semiornata PETERS 1854: 622
Zamenis Fischeri PETERS 1879: 777
Coronella inornata FISCHER 1884 (fide LOVERIDGE 1957)
Coronella scheffleri STERNFELD 1908: 93
Coronella semiornata — MEEK 1910
Zamenis citernii BOULENGER 1912
Coronella semiornata — SCORTECCI 1929: 271
Coronella semiornata — LOVERIDGE 1936: 33
Coronella semiornata semiornata — MERTENS 1938
Coronella semiornata semiornata — SCORTECCI 1939: 275
Coluber citernii — LOVERIDGE 1957
Meizodon semiornata semiornata — BROADLEY 1959
Meizodon semiornatus semiornatus — SCHÄTTI 1985: 157
Meizodon semiornatus — AUERBACH 1987: 181
Meizodon semiornatus semiornatus — GASPERETTI 1988: 259
Meizodon semiornatus — BOYCOTT 1992
Meizodon semiornatus semiornatus — BROADLEY & HOWELL 1991: 30
Meizodon semiornatus — LARGEN & SPAWLS 2010: 499
Meizodon semiornatus semiornatus — BROADLEY & BLAYLOCK 2013
Meizodon semiornatus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 436
Meizodon semiornatus semiornatus — BATES et al. 2014: 415
Meizodon semiornatus — SPAWLS et al. 2018: 482
Meizodon semiornatus semiornatus — STANDER 2023: 268

Meizodon semiornatus tchadensis (CHABANAUD 1917)
Zamenis tchadensis CHABANAUD 1917: 45
Meizodon semiornatus tchadensis — SCHÄTTI 1985: 161
Meizodon semiornatus tchadensis — CHIPPAUX 2006: 119
Meizodon semiornatus tchadensis — CHIRIO & LEBRETON 2007: 492 
DistributionFrom the Republic of South Africa through East Africa as far as S Sudan (Jumhūriyyat), Republic of South Sudan (RSS), Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Eswatini (Swaziland), Botswana, Zambia, Uganda

tchadensis: N Cameroon, S Chad; Type locality: Koalem, Sudan (Jumhūriyyat), Republic of South Sudan (RSS).

Type locality: “Tette” [Mozambique] [Coronella semiornata PETERS 1854]
Type locality: “Malindi” [Kenya] [Zamenis Fischeri PETERS 1879]  
Reproductionovoviviparous 
TypesSyntypes: ZMB 4804, 4805 (2 specimens) (Coronella semiornata PETERS 1854)
Holotype: ZMB 9534 [Zamenis Fischeri PETERS 1879]
Holotype: ZMH: R01981 from Arusha, near Mount Kilimanjaro, Massailand, Tanzania [Coronella inornata FISCHER 1884]
Holotype: MSNG 30555 [citernii]
Holotype: MNHN-RA 1904.187 [tchadensis] 
DiagnosisUnfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 4563 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentSynonymy: partly after WALLACH et al. 2014 (who lists C. scheffleri on p. 436, not 428 as indicated in index).

Distribution: Has been erroneously listed for Benin but does not occur there (Hughes 2013). 
Etymology¨The name semiornatus translates to “half ornamented,” hinting at its subtle yet distinctive coloration and patterns that allow it to blend into its habitat effectively.”, from Latin semi- = half, and Latin ornatus = ornatmented. 
References
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