Photo by courtesy of
Dwight Lawson
Atheris squamigera
squamigera Perret & Mertens,
1957
Atheris squamigera
ssp. Perret, 1961
Atheris squamigera
Broadley, 1998
Atheris broadleyi
Lawson, 1999
Named in honor of the distinguished
African herpetologist Donald G. Broadley.
none
Known from the Dja region of Cameroon,
it is found in southern Cameroon, Congo,
Central African Republic, and Gabon.
This new species previously has been confused
with the widespread Atheris
squamigera, but it is distinguished
from this species and others by differences
in scalation and color/pattern. Citrine
to greeinish olive or olive brown above
with pale yellowish crossbands that may
be very faint. A broad black postocular
stripe runs from behind eye to back of
mouth. Throat whitish or pale yellow.
Venter pale whitish or light bluish, but
heavily mottled with black. Unlike Atheris
squamigera, the color and pattern
of this species appears to be remarkably
consistent. Maximum total length may exceed
765 mm.
Distinguishing characteristics:
lateral scales without serrated keel;
supralabial scales in contact with suboculars;
rostral scale 3.5-4 times broader than
high.
Inhabits moist evergreen and semideciduous
transition forest.
