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PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
Series 4, Volume 65, Supplement II 
south Angola, bordered in the north by the Kwanza River and overlaping in Luanda Province with 
Python sebae, which occurs in northern regions of Angola, including the enclave of Cabinda. 
Python sebae (Gmelin, 1789) African Rock Python 
Coluber Sebae Gmelin 1789:1118. Syntypes: specimen described and illustrated by Seba (1735:105, pi. 99, 
fig. 2) and specimen described by Gronovius (1756:56) Type locality: “Brasiliensis, e regione Guaira” 
[= Guira, Brazil], Brazil. 
Python Sebae: Bocage (1866a:47, 1867b:224). 
Python sebae: Peters (1877:614), Laurent (1954a:38, 1964a:91), Hellmich (1957a:70), van den Audenearde 
(1966:32), Machado (1979:10), Haacke (1982b:8), Spawls and Branch (1995:19), Bellosa et al. (2007:30). 
Python sebae sebae: Broadley (1984:362), Broadley (1999:31), Wallach et al (2014:611). 
Global conservation status (lUCN): Not Evaluated. 
Global distribution: The species is very widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, from southern 
Mauritania to southern Chad, South Sudan and Ethiopia, south to Tanzania and Rwanda with is 
southern limit in northern Angola and the southern Democratic Republic of Congo. 
Ocurrences in Angola (Map 266): The 
species distribution is limited to the northern 
regions of the country. Cabinda: “Chinchoxo” 
[-5.10000, 12.10000] (Peters 1877a:614). 
Bengo: “Nambuangongo” [-7.97438, 
14.18924] (Machado 1979:10); “Ambriz” 
[-7.844312, 13.106493] (Broadley 1984:362). 
Kwanza Norte: “Rio Cuanza, nahe Mucoso” 
(Hellmich 1957a:70). Lunda Norte: “Dundo” 
[-7.36667, 20.83333] (Laurent 1954a;38, 
1964a:91; Thys van den Audenaerde 1966:32; 
Broadley 1984:362). Lunda Sul: “Saurimo” 
[-9.65000, 20.40000] (Haacke 1982b:8). 
Undetermined Locality: “Without precise 
location” (Bocage 1866a:47, 1867b:224; Lau¬ 
rent 1964a;91). 
Taxonomic and distributional notes: 
Gmelin (1789) gave two indications to older 
Map 266. Distribution of Python sebae in Angola. 
works in his description of Coluber Sebae: “Gron. Mus. 2. N. 11” and “Seb. mus. 2. t. 199. f. 2,” 
although he provides only one set of scale counts; 272 ventrals and 70 caudals, corresponding to 
Gronovius’s specimen. This implies that there were two original syntypes, not a single holotype as 
incorrectly stated by McDiarmid et al. (1999). Loveridge (1957) refered to the specimen figured by 
Seba as the type and Wallach et al. (2014) cited this specimen as the lectotype. However, as no 
pre-2000 work appears to have explicitly recognized this as a lectotype designation, both speci¬ 
mens must still be considered syntypes. The Seba specimen has been stated to be in Uppsala (Stim- 
son 1969; McDiarmid et al. 1999), but its actual whereabouts are unknown. The history of Seba’s 
collections have been discussed in detail (Engel 1937, 1961; Boeseman 1970; Juriev 1981; Adler 
1989; Bauer 2002; Bauer and Gunther 2013). Seba’s second collection (the first had been sold to 
Peter the Great of Russia in 1716; Driessen-van het Reve 2006) was sold after his death at auction 
(Anonymous 1752). Seba specimens are known or believed to be present in collections in St. 
Petersburg, London, Leiden (including specimens until recently in Amsterdam), Paris, Copen¬ 
hagen, Stockholm, Bremen and Berlin (Boeseman 1970; Juriev 1981; Thireau et al. 1998; Bauer 
