Typhlacontias johnsonii Andersson, 1916

Santos, Bruna S., Marques, Mariana P., Bauer, Aaron M. & Ceríaco, Luis M. P., 2021, Herpetological results of Francisco Newton’s Zoological Expedition to Angola (1903 – 1906): a taxonomic revision and new records of a forgotten collection, Zootaxa 5028 (1), pp. 1-80 : 25

Typhlacontias johnsonii Andersson, 1916

Material (eleven specimens): One adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 279, formerly UP-MHNFCP-094990), collected from Rio Coroca [-15.78333º, 12.06667º, 45 m a.s.l.] Namibe Province, in 1904; four juvenile specimens (MHNCUP/REP 281–283, REP 285, formerly UP-MHNFCP-095003–095005, 095007; Fig. S45 ), collected from Mossamedes [=Moçâmedes] [-15.20000, 12.15000, 24 m a.s.l.] Namibe Province, in 1905 ; one adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 286, formerly UP-MHNFCP-017385), collected from Uay [= Nonguai] [-15.76667º, 12.01667º, 45 m a.s.l.] Namibe Province, in July 1904 ; four adult specimens (MHNCUP/REP 287–290, formerly UP-MHNFCP- 018335, 017387), collected from unknown location, date unknown; one adult specimen (MHNCUP/REP 291, formerly UP-MHNFCP-052200), collected from Bahia dos Tigres [= Baía dos Tigres] [-16.58559º, 11.82709º, 98 m a.s.l.] Namibe Province, in 1905 .

Comments: Typhlacontias johnsonii is found in Angola and Namibia, with a distribution restricted to the Namib Desert ( Haacke 1997; Marques et al. 2018). Ferreira (1904, 1906) did not cite these specimens. Haacke (1997) reviewed the genus Typhlacontias , providing descriptions, distributional records and a key to the genus. This species was originally described based on six specimens, of which Haacke (1997) designated the largest and first mentioned specimen as a lectotype and the remaining as paralectotypes. The author also corrected Bocage’s (1895) identification of a Typhlacontias punctatissumus from “Coroca” to T. johnsonii ( Haacke 1997, Marques et al. 2018). T. johnsonii is characterized by the presence of a subhexagonal to oval shaped frontal shield and the second upper labial scale reaching the eye ( Haacke 1997).

Figures

FIGURE S45. Specimen of Typhlacontias johnsonii (MHNCUP/REP 281), from Moçâmedes. Photo by Bruna Santos.