Diversity of Sand Snakes (Psammophiidae, Psammophis) in the Horn of Africa, with the description of a new species from Somalia

• DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.101943
• Publication Date: 2023-06-27T15:15:00Z
• Authors: Jiří Šmíd; Sergio Matilla Fe...; Hassan Sh Abdirah...; Tomáš Mazuch
• Keywords: Subspecies; Species complex

The biological diversity of the Horn Africa is one least studied in world. Yet supports rich communities species that are mostly endemic to region. Here we study Sand Snakes ( Psammophis ) East Africa, their phylogeny and systematics. Previous studies have unveiled several cryptic potentially undescribed occur taxonomic status has remained unclear this day. We used sequence data from two mitochondrial nuclear genes reconstruct genus, which included newly obtained samples six different Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt. Our aim was assess some species, examine level intraspecific genetic variation within individual improve our understanding distributions, contribute taxonomy genus. results confirm existence eastern formally describe as new, southern Ethiopia refer cf. sudanensis accordance with previous studies. Further, provide first for nominotypical subspecies P. punctulatus its trivirgatus . In addition, new tanganicus range extension records rukwae Eritrea aegyptius Somalia. findings considerably distribution Africa.