392 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
Series 4, Volume 65, Supplement II 
Map 355. Distribution of Philothamnus dorsalis in 
Angola. 
Global distribution: The species is known from Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Democratic 
Republic of Congo and Gabon. 
Ocurrences in Angola (Map 355): The 
species occurs in the central-north western 
Angola. Cabinda: “Molembo” [-5.33333, 
12.20000] (Bocage 1866b;69, 1882b:10, 
1895a:92; Loveridge 1933:238, 1951:11, 
1957:262; Chirio and LeBreton 2007:506; Wal- 
lach et al. 2014:544); “Cabinda” [-5.55000, 
12.18333] (Bocage 1866a:48, 1895a:92, 
1897a:200). Zaire: “S. Salvador do Congo” 
[-6.26667, 14.23333] (Bocage 1881a:185, 
1895a:92). Luanda: “Loanda” [-8.83333, 
13.26667] (Bocage 1866a:48, 1867b:226, 
1882b:10, 1895a:92, 1897a:200; 1957:262). 
Bengo: “Rio Dande” [-8.46667, 13.38333] 
(Bocage 1882b: 10, 1895a:92). Malanje: 
“Duque de Braganga” [-9.10000, 15.95000] 
(Bocage 1866b:69; Loveridge 1933:238); 
“Pungo-Andongo” [-9.66667, 15.58333] 
(Bocage 1882b:10; 1895a:92). Kwanza Norte: 
“Dondo” [-9.66667, 14.41667] (Hellmich 1957b:65). Kwanza Sul: “Libolo” [-9.98333, 14.90000] 
(Hellmich 1957b:65). Benguela: “Catumbella” [-12.43333, 13.55000] (Bocage 1867c:226, 
1882b:10, 1895a:92); “Benguella” [-12.58333, 13.41667] (Bocage 1867b:226, 1882b:10, 
1895a:92; Boulenger 1893:101); “Dombe” [-12.95000, 13.10000] (Bocage 1867c:226; Hughes 
1985:520). Huila: “Caconda” [-13.73333, 15.06667] (Ferreira 1897b:244; Hughes 1985:520). 
Undetermined Locality: “no locality” (Ferreira 1897b:244); “Carangigo” [-13.03333, 13.73333] 
(Boulenger 1893:101); “Benguella to Ogouoe” (Boulenger 1893:101). 
Taxonomic and distributional notes: The species was described as new by Bocage in two 
different papers (1866a, b), both of which appeared in the November 1866 issue of the same jour¬ 
nal. Unlike many of the descriptions in 1866a, however, that of Leptophis dorsalis is a nomen 
nudum as there is no description, only a statement that it is similar to Leptophis Chenoni 
[= Philothamnus irregularis]. In the first paper, two specimens from “Cabinda”, (collected by 
Anchieta) and “Loanda” (collected by Bayao) were noted. In the description that made the name 
available, Bocage (1866b) cited the “Cabinda” specimen as being from “Molembo” and that col¬ 
lected by Bayao from “Duque de Bragan^a.” Bocage (1882b) refered to the Molembo specimen as 
the type, and mentioned numerous other specimens, but none from Duque de Braganga. In 
Bocage’s (1897a) type catalogue he again referred only to “Cabinda” and “Loanda.” The locality 
“Duque de Bragan 9 a” may have been an error, as Bocage never cited it in his subsequent works. 
However, ZMB 6467 is marked in the Berlin catalogue as a type specimen from “Angola” obtained 
from Bocage, and it is also possible that the “Duque de Bragan^a” specimen had been traded away 
before Bocage’s (1882b) paper on Philothamnus. Bogert (1940), Loveridge (1933, 1951, 1957), 
and Hellmich (1957b) considered P. dorsalis as a subspecies of P. semivariegatus, however, 
according to Hughes (1985) this is untenable on geographic grounds, since the two co-occur in the 
lower Congo. 
