MARQUES ET AL.; AMPHIBIANS AND TERRESTRIAL REPTILES OF ANGOLA 
175 
Map 
Angola. 
121. Distribution of Crocodylus niloticus in 
the Nile Valley into Egypt, and westwards across northern Namibia and southern Angola and 
thence northwards up the Atlantic coast to Cameroon. Also present in Madagascar. 
Ocurrences in Angola (Map 121): This 
species occurs across the country, despite the 
scarcity of publish data the Angolan popula¬ 
tion as traditionally been reported very high in 
almost all of the hydrographic basins. Cabin¬ 
da: “Chinchoxo” [-5.10000, 12.10000] (Peters 
1877a:611). Lunda Norte: “Carumbo” 
[-7.74422, 19.95467] (Branch and Conradie 
2015:200). Luanda: “Rio Bengo” [-8.71667, 
13.40000] (Bocage 1866a:41); “Loanda” 
[-8.83333, 13.26667] (Bocage 1866a:41). 
Malanje: “Pungo Andongo” [-9.66667, 
15.58333] (Gunther 1865a:480); “Duque de 
Braganga” [-9.10000, 15.95000] (Ferreira 
1903:16); “Capanda” [-9.72841, 15.34585] 
(Ceriaco et al. 2014b: 669). Kwanza Sul: 
“Novo Redondo” [-11.20000, 13.85000] 
(Bocage 1867b:218). Benguela: “Alto Cubal” 
[-13.03333, 14.25000] (Hellmich 1857a:31). 
Huila: “fleuve Kuvangu” [-14.46667,16.30000] (Monard 1937b:150). Cunene: “etangs duKuve- 
lai” [-15.65000, 15.80000] (Monard 1937b: 150). Cuando Cubango: “sight below the Mupupa 
Falls” [-17.51667, 20.05000] (Branch and McCartney 1992:3); “Cuito basin (29)” [-17.87291, 
19.83333] (Conradie et al. 2016:9-10, 26); Cuito basin (35) observation” [-16.62322, 19.05352] 
(Conradie et al. 2016:9-10, 27); “Cubango basin (43) observation” [-17.53500, 23.18916] (Con¬ 
radie et al. 2016:9-10, 26); “Cuando basin (44a) observation” [-17.57333, 23.26000] (Conradie et 
al. 2016:9-10, 27); “Cubango basin (45) observation” [-16.88350, 18.01180] (Conradie et al. 
2016:9, 12, 27). 
Taxonomic and distributional notes: Crocodylus niloticus is a widespread species through¬ 
out much of sub-Saharan Africa, however, some West African populations long assigned to 
C. niloticus are recognized as C. suchus (Geoffroy Saint-Hiliare, 1807), a taxon recently resurrect¬ 
ed from synonymy (Schmitz et al. 2003). Fuchs et al. (1974a) previously recognized seven sub¬ 
species in C. niloticus and applied the name C. niloticus chamses to the Angolan population. The 
actual distributions of C. niloticus sensu stricto and C. suchus are poorly known in the region of 
central West Africa and Angola in particular (Fergusson 2010), thus it is unclear if Angolan popu¬ 
lations represent one or both of the species. Grigg and Kirshner (2015) provided a distribution map 
with the ranges of C. niloticus and C. suchus in Africa, which reflects the lack of data from central 
regions in Angola, but suggests that C. niloticus is the sole species occurring in the country, an 
interpretation we here accept. Branch and McCartney (1992) stated that the species is commonly 
found in all the major permanent river systems, including the Cuito and Cubango rivers. Hellmich 
(1957a) also refered to a large population in the Kwanza River, while Monard (1937b) mentioned 
sightings from Cunene near Forte Ro9adas, Capolongo along the Cuvango, and at the mouth of 
Catumbela. Monard (1932) identified the mythical creature named “Libata” by locals of Chiumbe 
and Cuilo (northeast of Angola) as C. niloticus. 
