Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Bryan Maritz
Contributors: Josh Weeber
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal Tolley
Reviewers: Werner Conradie Margaretha Hofmeyr Paula Strauss

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

A widespread and common species with no major threats hence assessed as Least Concern.

Distribution

A largely temperate species endemic to southern Africa. Widespread within South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini [Swaziland] and also occurring as a relict subpopulation in the highlands of eastern Zimbabwe (Broadley 2002, Broadley and Blaylock 2013, Bates et al. 2014). Occurs in the western and southern parts of the Northern Cape, across the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, the eastern half of the Free State, Gauteng, high-lying regions of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces, and northwestern Eswatini, with isolated records in Limpopo Province. It is likely to be far more widespread in Lesotho than current records indicate.

Population trend

Trend

The population is suspected to be stable given that the species is widespread and common.

Threats

This species does not appear to have any major threats. It is widespread and abundant in multiple habitat types.

Uses and trade

This species is not utilized.

Conservation

Occurs in many protected areas across its wide range; no conservation actions are recommended.

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}
}
,@techreport{5336,
 address = {Pretoria, South Africa},
 author = {Jacobsen, N.H.G.},
 institution = {Chief Directorate of Nature and Environmental Conservation},
 title = {The distribution and conservation status of reptiles and amphibians in the Transvaal. Final Report Project TN 6/4/1/30},
 year = {1989}
}
,@book{23102,
 address = {Frankfurt am Main},
 author = {Broadley, D.G. and Blaylock, R.},
 publisher = {Edition Chimaira},
 title = {The Snakes of Zimbabwe and Botswana},
 year = {2013}
}
,@article{44979971,
 author = {Kelly, C.M.R., Barker, N.P., Villet, N.H., Broadley, D.G. and Branch, W.R.},
 journal = {Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution},
 pages = {1045--1060},
 title = {The snake family Psammophiidae (Reptilia: Serpentes): phylogenetics and species delimitation in the African Sand Snakes (<i>Psammophis</i> Boie, 1825) and allied genera},
 volume = {47},
 year = {2008}
}
,@article{44979971,
 author = {Broadley, D.G.},
 journal = {African Journal of Herpetology},
 number = {2},
 pages = {83--119},
 title = {A review of the species of <i>Psammophis</i> Boie found south of Latitude 12&deg;S (Serpentes: Psammophiinae)},
 volume = {51},
 year = {2002}
}
,]
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