Hemorrhois algirus ( Jan, 1863:60 )

Bauer, Aaron M., DeBoer, Jonathan C. & Taylor, Dylan J., 2017, Atlas of the Reptiles of Libya, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (8), pp. 155-318 : 241-242

Hemorrhois algirus ( Jan, 1863:60)

1863 P [eriops]. Algira Jan, Elenco sistematico degli Ofidi descritti e disegnati per l’Iconografia generale. A. Lombardi, Milano, Italy. Pp. i–viii, 9–143, i–iii.

SYNTYPES.— MNHN 3575, 7464, MSNM (two specimens, destroyed in 1943 fide Wallach et al. (2014); MNHNP, “ Algeri ” (MSNM) “Sphax d’Algeria” [sic, Sfax, Tunisia] (MNHN). Kramer and Schnurrenberger (1963) referred to MNHN 3575 as the “Typus.”

Coluber florulentus algirus, Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963:484 .

Coluber florulentus, Le Berre 1989:282 .

Coluber algirus, Schleich, Kästle, and Kabisch 1996:479 .

Hemorrhois algirus, Sindaco, Venchi, and Grieco 2013:109 .

DISTRIBUTION.— The species as a whole extends from northern Mauritania through northern Egypt west of the Nile (Marsa Matruh; Baha El Din 2000, 2006a), and has been introduced in Malta ( Schleich et al. 1996; Joger 1997; Sindaco et al. 2013). There is an isolated population in the Ahaggar, Algeria. The nominate form occurs from northwestern Algeria to the east, whereas H. a. intermedius Werner, 1929 ranges from Monts des Ksour, Algeria, westward to Western Sahara, northern Mauritania, and southern Morocco (Sindaco et al. 2013). In Libya their range is broad in the northern parts of the country.

Libyan Records (Map 49): TRIPOLITANIA: ZAWIYAH: 22: MCSN 4221. TRIPOLI: 45: MNHN 1893.587. MURQUB: 69: SK 321;

Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1959, 1963;

Schätti 1986. MISRATAH: 73: MCSN 4212,

4217; MHNG 1357.37; ZSM 153/1983; SK

200; Schätti 1986; Kramer and Schnurrenberg-

er 1959, 1963; Schätti 1986. 84: MCSN 4214.

NALUT: 99: MNHN 2004.0079; Ibrahim and

Ineich 2005. JABAL AL GHARBI: 148: NMBE

52/1958; SK 325–326; Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1959, 1963; Schätti 1986. 149: SK 204;

Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1959, 1963;

Schätti 1986. 154: MNHG 1357.38, 1357.40–

41; ZSM 154/1983; Schätti 1986. 158: BMNH

1958.1.2. 35; Schätti 1986. SIRT: 174: MCSN

2877; MSNM [no specific number given];

Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963; Schätti

1986. 176: MSNM [no specific number given];

Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963; Schätti MAP 49. Distribution of Hemorrhois algirus in Libya.

1986. 178: MCSN 3003. “ Tripolitania ”: BMNH 1955.1.8. 97; Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963; Schätti 1986. FEZZAN: JUFRA: 216: ZMB 19365; Peters 1880, 1881; Werner 1909; Zavattari 1934. 217: Zavattari 1937. 221: MCSN 2920. “ Sahara tripolitain ”: Angel and Lhote 1938. CYRENAICA: BENGHAZI: 353: Werner 1909. 357: FMNH 214917; MCSN 1944, 2673 (5 specimens); IZUM 20192; Ghigi 1913; Umani 1922; Zavattari 1922, 1929, 1930, 1934; Calabresi 1923. Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963; Schätti 1986; Resetar 1981. 367: Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934. MARJ: 385: Zavattari 1937. JABAL AL AKHDAR: 417: FMNH 214916; MSNG 29516; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1922, 1929, 1930, 1934; Resetar 1981. 419: CUP R 065; Frynta et al. 2000. 421: MSNM [no specific number given]; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934; Kramer and Schnurrenberg- er 1963; Schätti 1986. 447: Frynta et al. 2000. 457: KNP 1981/272, 311, 354, 509; Schleich 1987. 457au: ZSM 1983/151; Schleich 1987; Schätti 2004. 457cw: Schleich 1987. DARNAH: 466: MSNM [no specific number given]; SK 3935; SMF 34573; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934; Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963; Schätti 1986. BUTNAN: 490: IZUM 20189, 20193, 20196, 20199, 20201; Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963; Schätti 1986. AL WAHAT: 537: BMNH 1960.1.5. 90; Kramer and Schnerrenberger 1963; Schätti 1986. 544: SMF 56496; Schätti 1986. 547: SK 60, 89; Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1958, 1959, 1963; Schätti 1986. LIBYA: HUJR 3214; Sochurek 1979.

COMMENTS.— Earlier records of Hemorrhois algirus were sometimes attributed to Coluber florulentus , of which algirus has sometimes been considered a subspecies (e.g., Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1959, 1963). Werner (1909) reexamined older records and clarified that the Sokna record of Zamenis florulentus of Peters (1880, 1881) was referable to this species. He also identified the “Benghasi” record of von Martens (1883) (now ZMB 10506) as Zamenis gemonensis (now Hierophis gemonensis ), perhaps collected in Europe en route to Libya and subsequently confused with the Cyrenaican collections made on the same trip. Schätti (2004) reidentified the single Platyceps rogersi recorded by Schleich (1987) from Kouf National Park as H. algirus . [Note that Schleich (1987) listed specimens KNP 1981/272, 311, 354, and 509 as both Coluber algirus and Naja haje . We have assumed that the associated localities are correct for both species and that specimen numbers were inadvertently duplicated].

IUCN THREAT STATUS.— Least Concern.