Atheris subocularis (Serpentes: Viperidae) Revisited: Molecular and Morphological Evidence for the Resurrection of an Enigmatic Taxon
Recent reptile collections from southwestern Cameroon contain four specimens referable to Atheris subocularis Fischer, currently considered a synonym of Atheris squamigera (Hallowell), and previously known only from the holotype collected prior to 1888. Phylogenetic analysis of a 647 bp DNA fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene indicates that A. subocularis forms a monophyletic group. Based on this analysis and a suite of morphological characters that readily differentiate A. subocularis from its congeners, we resurrect A. subocularis Fischer from the synonymy of A. squamigera (Hallowell). Female A. subocularis remain unknown, and the distribution of this taxon lies completely within that of its closest relative, A. squamigera. We provide taxonomic accounts for A. subocularis and A. squamigera in the area of sympatry and discuss evolutionary hypotheses for the presence of A. subocularis.Abstract
Hypothesis of relationships of Atherine snakes based on strict consensus of maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony analyses of cytochrome b gene sequences. Numbers above branches indicate bootstrap support derived from maximum-parsimony analysis with 1000 pseudoreplicates and 100 random taxon addition replicates
Left lateral and dorsal aspect of Atheris subocularis; vicinity Nguti, Southwest Province, Cameroon; UTA R-45004; head length 14.9 mm. Illustrations by P. C. Ustach
(A) Atheris squamigera: green adult male from vicinity Nguti, Southwest Province, Cameroon, approximately 375 mm SVL, UTA R-50151; (B) Atheris squamigera: yellow adult male, vicinity Nguti, Southwest Province, Cameroon, 376 mm SVL, UTA R-44963. Photos by D. P. Lawson
Atheris subocularis; vicinity Manyemen, Southwest Province, Cameroon, 390 mm SVL, DPL 4734. Photo by D. P. Lawson