Red List of South African Species

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Data Deficient (DD)
Assessors: Bryan Maritz Johan Marais
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal A Tolley
Reviewers: Michael Bates Juan-Jacques Forgus Krystal A Tolley Luke Verburgt

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

A rare and poorly known snake that has been recorded only at high altitudes in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg, , South Africa, range and is known from only four specimens (Branch et al. 1993). There is also a recent social media post (including photo) showing a record from Organ Pipes Pass near Cathedral Peak in the Drakensberg (B. Maritz pers. obs. 2017). Almost nothing is known about abundance, microhabitat and natural history of this species. The species is thus regarded as Data Deficient.

Distribution

Probably endemic to the Drakensberg Mountains of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Lesotho (Bourquin 1991, 2004; Branch et al. 1993; Branch 1998; Marais 2004, Bates et al. 2014).

Decline

Unknown

Population trend

Trend

No information on population size or trend is currently available.

Threats

It is not known if there are any threats to this species.

Uses and trade

This snake is of rare occurrence and is apparently not harvested or utilized.

Conservation

No specific conservation measures are suggested as most of its suspected range falls within protected areas (Bates et al. 2014). Research to resolve taxonomic uncertainty is needed, as is information on its distribution and habitat preferences.

References 

[@electronic{181632,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-2},
 year = {2018}
}
,@book{612,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Bates, M.F., Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M., Burger, M., Marais, J., Alexander, G.J. and de Villiers, M.S.},
 publisher = {Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland},
 year = {2014}
}
,@book{2817,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Branch, W.R.},
 publisher = {Struik Publishers},
 title = {Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Second Edition},
 year = {1998}
}
,@book{2817,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Marais, J.},
 publisher = {Struik},
 title = {A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa},
 year = {2004}
}
,@article{5336,
 author = {Bourquin, O.},
 journal = {Durban Museum Novitates},
 pages = {57--103},
 title = {Reptiles (Reptilia) in KwaZulu-Natal: 1 - diversity and distribution},
 volume = {29},
 year = {2004}
}
,@article{190527,
 author = {Bourquin, O.},
 journal = {Annals of the Transvaal Museum},
 number = {12},
 pages = {199--203},
 title = {A new genus and species of snake from the Natal Drakensberg, South Africa},
 volume = {35},
 year = {1991}
}
,@article{190527,
 author = {Branch, W.R., Haagner, G.V. and Bourquin, O.},
 journal = {Lammergeyer},
 pages = {50--52},
 title = {Further specimens of the cream-spotted mountain snake <i>Montaspis gilvomaculata</i> from Natal},
 volume = {42},
 year = {1993}
}
,@article{190527,
 author = {Vidal, N., Branch, W.R., Pauwels, O.S., Hedges, S.B., Broadley, D.G., Wink, M., Cruaud, C., Joger, U. and Nagy, Z.T.,},
 journal = {Zootaxa},
 pages = {51--66.},
 title = {Dissecting the major African snake radiation: a molecular phylogeny of the Lamprophiidae Fitzinger (Serpentes, Caenophidia). },
 volume = {1945},
 year = {2008}
}
,]
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