Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: John Measey
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal Tolley
Reviewers: Jody Taft Adriaan Jordaan Graham Alexander

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

Widespread and common.

Distribution

This species is found across southern Africa, from South Africa, Eswatini (Swaziland), southern Mozambique, eastern Botswana, northern Namibia and southern Angola (Broadley and Wallach 2009). In South Africa, it has a large distribution across Limpopo, eastern Mpumalanga, and northerneastern KwaZulu-Natal provinces. It has a broad altitudinal range 0-1,200 m a.s.l. Broadley and Wallach (2009) omitted an isolated cluster of records from Gauteng Province (see Broadley 1990) and these records have thus also been excluded from the current assessment. They may, however, require further investigation.

Population trend

Trend

The population is considered to be stable.

Threats

There are no substantial threats to this species.

Uses and trade

There is no known utilization.

Conservation

It would be worthwhile to test hypotheses proposed in the current taxonomic revision with a molecular investigation of all species in the genus.

References 

[@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}
}
,@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}
}
,@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}
}
,@book{10242,
 address = {Parklands, South Africa},
 author = {Broadley, D.G.},
 publisher = {Jonathan Ball and Ad. Donker Publishers},
 title = {FitzSimons' Snakes of Southern Africa},
 year = {1990}
}
,@article{22476160,
 author = {Broadley, D.G. and Wallach, V.},
 journal = {Zootaxa},
 pages = {1--100},
 title = {A review of the eastern and southern African blind-snakes (Serpentes: Typhlopidae), excluding  <i>Letheobia</i> Cope, with the description of two new genera and a new species},
 volume = {2255},
 year = {2009}
}
,@article{22472607,
 author = {Kley, N.J.},
 journal = {American Zoologist},
 pages = {1321--1337},
 title = {Prey transport mechanisms in blindsnakes and the evolution of unilateral feeding systems in snakes},
 volume = {41},
 year = {2001}
}
,@article{22472607,
 author = {Hahn, D.E.},
 journal = {Das Tierreich},
 pages = {1--93},
 title = {Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien. Anomalepididae, Leptotyphlopidae, Typhlopidae},
 volume = {101},
 year = {1980}
}
,]
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