Cape Centipede Eater

Common name: centipede eaters.

Aparallactus is a genus of rear-fanged 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. capensis^T 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

• Snakebite.

References