BAUER, DEBOER, & TAYLOR: ATLAS OF THE REPTILES OF LIBYA 
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em Kazakhstan and possibly as far as western 
Nepal (Schatti et al. 2014), and “P. sp. incertae 
sedis ” from Egypt through Israel and Jordan 
(the latter subsequently considered by Perry 
(2012) to be P ladacensis (Anderson, 1871)). 
Schatti et al. (2014), on the other hand, consid¬ 
ered P ladacensis as a subspecies ofP rhodor- 
achis and applied the name entirely differently 
than did Perry (2012). Perry (2012) identified 
Platyceps tessellata [sic] (Werner, 1909) as a 
senior synonym of P saharicus and assigned 
North African specimens formerly allocated to 
P rhodorachis to this taxon, as did Geniez 
(2015) and Werner (2016). Schatti et al. (2014) 
revised the Platyceps east of the Tigris River 
and provided extensive information relative to 
the convoluted history and interpretation of the 
P rhodorachis complex. They argue that 
Perry’s (2012) interpretation of P tessellatus is misguided and provide a discussion of the possible 
allocation of the name, while making it clear that it does not, in their opinion, apply to the African 
taxa to which Schatti and McCarthy (2004) had applied the name P saharicus. 
In Egypt, Baha El Din (2006a) reported only one record west of the Nile Valley (Gebel 
Uweinat = Jabal Al Uwaynat). According to Baha El Din (2006a) MZUF 00659 from Ayn Murr is 
from Sudan, not Libya (contra Scortecci 1935c, Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963, and Schatti and 
McCarthy 2004). Kramer and Schnurrenberger (1963) noted that some maps place Ayn Murr in 
Sudan and others depict it in Libyan territory. Confusion arises from the fact that there is an Ain 
Murr on Jabal Arkenu, just northwest of the Jabal Al Uwaynat and another on the base of the south¬ 
eastern slope of Jabal Al Uwaynat, the former in Libya and the latter in Sudan. Schleich et al. 
(1996) indicated a single locality for this taxon to the northwest of Jabal Al Uwaynat, and unam¬ 
biguously inside Libya, presumably corresponding to Ayn Murr on Jabal Arkenu. In addition, 
Sochurek (1979) indicated that this species (as Coluber rhodorachis ) occurs in Cyrenaica. We con¬ 
sider this species as a member of the Libyan fauna. Certainly its occurrence anywhere in Jabal Al 
Uwaynat area suggests that it should be present in Egypt, Libya and Sudan. We here plot the Jabal 
Arkenu locality, although the specimen may well originate from the Sudanese site (21.8833°N, 
25.1000°E). 
IUCN Threat Status.— Not assessed. 
Spalerosophis diadema cliffordii (Schlegel, 1837:163, pi. VI, figs. 13-14) (Fig. 32) 
1837 Coluber clijfordii Schlegel, Schlegel, H. Essai sur la Physionomie des Serpens. Partie Descriptive: 
H.M. Schonekat, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 606 + xvi pp. / Essai sur la Physionomie des Serpents. Planch¬ 
es, Cartes et Tableaux. J. Kips, J. Hz. et W. P. van Stockum, La Haye, The Netherlands, [iv] pp. 21 pis., 3 fold¬ 
ing maps, 2 folding tables. 
Lectotype:— Specimen figured by Schlegel (1837b), pi. VI, figs. 13-14 (designated by Mertens, 1940), 
“Etats barbaresques” [Tripoli, Libya fide Mertens, 1940; Marx, 1959)], subsequently identified as RMNH 467 
by Brongersma in Kramer and Schnurrenberger (1963:524). 
Spalerosophis diadema cliffordi, Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963:524. 
Spalerosophis diadema, Le Berre 1989:290. 
Map 54. Distribution of Platyceps saharicus in Libya. 
