Atheris squamigera (Hallowell, 1854)

Figure 32B

Echis squamigera Hallowell, 1854a: 193 . Type locality: “ Near the river Gaboon, Guinea”, Gabon River, Gabon.

Poecilostolus burtonii Günther, 1863b: 20 . Type locality: “ West Africa … Camaroon country”.

Atheris lucani Rochebrune, 1885: 89 . Type locality: “Locum Landana dictum” (untraceable locality).

Atheris squamigera robusta Laurent, 1956 . Type locality: “Nioka”, Congo Belge (Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Distribution. This species extends from Nigeria to Kenya and southward to northern Angola. In Equatorial Guinea it has been reported from Bioko (Broadley 1998b; Drewes et al. 1999) at Moka (Boulenger 1906; Capocaccia 1961a; Mertens 1964a) and between Moka and Malabo (Mertens 1964a; Ceríaco et al. 2020a), and in Río Muni at Cabo San Juan (Boulenger 1905) and Monte Alén National Park (Lasso et al. 2002), including Monte Mitra (Gonwouo & Nsang 2005). There is a record from iNaturalist close to Moka, Bioko (03°19′55.07″N, 08°38′39.04″E) (Map 38A).

Comments. Based on cytochrome b gene sequences, Atheris squamigera is closely related to A. subocularis Fischer, 1888 (Lawson et al. 2001), and the two species form a clade sister to A. broadleyi Lawson, 1999 (Lawson et al. 2001). Phylogenetic relationships between these species and A. hetfieldi remain unknow.

Specimens examined. Three specimens. Bioko: red swamp in Caldera de Luba, 03°21′27.99″N, 08°30′52.11″E, 27 November 2003 (MNCN 50275) . Río Muni: without specific locality, but likely Cabo San Juan as part of the material examined by Boulenger (1905) (MNCN 22788); Ayamiken, July 1964 (EBD 2875) .