Hapsidophrys lineatus Fischer, 1856

Pauwels, Olivier S. G., Morelle, Stephan, Albert, Jean-Louis, Carlino, Piero, Rahola, Nil & Trape, Jean-François, 2019, New reptile records from Lékédi Park and Haut-Ogooué Province, southeastern Gabon, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 174) 13 (1), pp. 143-161 : 150

Hapsidophrys lineatus Fischer, 1856

A dead-on-road adult individual was found by SM on 5 June 2016 between Lékédi Park and Bakoumba ( Fig. 18 ). It shows a round pupil, one loreal, one preocular, no subocular, three postoculars, two supralabials in contact with the orbit, two anterior temporals and two posterior temporals, strongly keeled dorsals with the vertebral row not widened, and keeled ventrals. New Dept. record (not listed from the Dept. by Pauwels and Vande weghe 2008). Hapsidophrys lineatus being rarely encountered in Gabon and difficult to approach due to its shyness and fastness, Pauwels and Vande weghe (2008:165) also had to illustrate it with the photograph of a dead-on-road individual. This strongly contrasts with its congener H. smaragdinus , which is one of the most commonly encountered snakes in the country and easier to approach.

Figures

Fig. 18. Dead-on-road adult Hapsidophrys lineatus found near Bakoumba, Haut-Ogooué Prov., southeastern Gabon. Photograph by S. Morelle.