A NEW PSAMMOPHIS FROM ZAMBIA 



77 



Fig. 2 Head ot'juvenile paratype P.zambiensis (IRSN 10523) seen in (a) dorsal, (b) lateral, and (c) ventral views. 



noticed, the reticular neck pattern is not always present and these 

 specimens are distinguished from 'sibilans' by their lower ventral 

 counts and usually by lower subcaudal counts (Table 2). 



Brandstatter (1995: Fig. 39) has provided a SEM micrograph of a 

 dorsal scale from a P. zambiensis paratype NMZB 10636, and the 

 micro-ornamentation resembles that of Dromophis lineatus (his Fig. 

 83) more than any species of the P. sibilans complex. 



HABITAT. Unfortunately, no field notes are available for this species, 

 but the fact that many specimens appear to have originated from the 

 Mweru-Wantipa suggests that it requires a marshy habitat like 

 Dromophis lineatus, with which it is sympatric in this area (Broadley 

 & Pitman, 1959). In the Ikelenge area there there are many suitable 

 dambos and one local specimen had eaten an Eumecia anchietae, a 

 large skink that frequents such places (Broadley, 1991). The 



Sanolumba snake had eaten a ranid frog (Haagner et ai, 2000). 



Other species and sources of data 



Psammophis leopardinus [only those with numbers seen by BH, 

 those without numbers DGB data or from publications]. 



ANGOLA - Bella Vista MCZ; Caconda MBL x 8; Capelongo 

 AMNH x 6 ; Catengue SMF x 2; Catumbela MBL lectotype, 

 destroyed; Iona TM; Luanda USNM; Lobito Bay AMNH R50612- 

 3, R506 1 7-8, and x5; Oncocua, 37 km NE on way to Otchinzau TM; 

 NAMIBIA - Swakop-Tal, Namib Desert BMNH 1937.12.3.166. 



Psammophis 'sibilans', currently treated as P. mossambicus. 



CONGO-KINSHASA - Kambore MRAC 2017; Kansenia MRAC 

 7002, 7639; Kapanza MRAC 9649-50; Kapiri MRAC 7027, 7056- 



