Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Zambia and Malawi (Struik Nature Field Guides)

Zambia and Malawi are home to 240 known snake, lizard, terrapin, tortoise and crocodile species; of these 13 snakes and lizards are endemic to the region. Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Zambia and Malawi is the first book of its kind for the region, and describes every species of reptile known to occur in the two countries – including several new discoveries. The book is organized into four sections reflecting the four orders: snakes, lizards, tortoises/terrapins and crocodiles. A comprehensive description of each order, suborder and family is followed by genera and species accounts. Each species account covers diagnostic features, subspecies/taxonomic notes (where applicable), habitat, behavior, prey and predators, reproduction and range, and whether the species is venomous and poses a danger to humans. The accounts are supported by stunning color photographs and up-to-date distribution maps that draw on over 16,000 recorded observations. Diagrammatic illustrations demonstrate morphological details useful for accurate identification. To aid identification, dichotomous identification keys (based predominantly on morphological differences) guide users to the correct genus and species. The book’s informative introduction includes descriptions and maps of the region's biogeography and diverse habitat types, as well as a discussion on different venom types and the basic principles of snakebite treatment. This guide makes an important contribution to the literature on reptiles in Africa, and will appeal to both the novice and experienced herpetologist, as well as visitors the region and nature enthusiasts in general. Title Page Copyright Dedications Acknowledgements Contents Preface Foreword Introduction What are reptiles? Taxonomy, classification and nomenclature Habitat types in Zambia and Malawi Biogeography Venom types and snakebite treatment Regional endemics Reptile identification using scales How to use this book Scaled Reptiles – Squamata Snakes – Serpentes Slender Blind Snakes Ionides’ Worm Snake Long-tailed Worm Snake Emin’s Thread Snake Incognito Thread Snake Shaba Thread Snake Peters’ Thread Snake Blind Snakes Slender Gracile Blind Snake Angolan Giant Blind Snake Lineolate Giant Blind Snake Zambezi Giant Blind Snake Slender Giant Blind Snake Schlegel’s Giant Blind Snake Schmidt’s Giant Blind Snake Pythons Southern African Python Adders and Vipers Floodplain Viper Two-striped Night Adder Snouted Night Adder Forest Night Adder Rasmussen’s Night Adder Rhombic Night Adder Katanga Bush Viper Rungwe Bush Viper Puff Adder Gaboon Adder Nose-horned Viper Sand Snakes and relatives Rufous Beaked Snake Eastern Bark Snake Sharp-nosed Beaked Snake Striped Grass Snake Grey-bellied Grass Snake Dwarf Sand Snake Jalla’s Sand Snake Lined Sand Snake Olive Sand Snake Eastern Stripe-bellied Sand Snake Western Stripe-bellied Sand Snake Zambian Sand Snake Shovel-snouts Bocage’s Shovel-snout Angola Shovel-snout Pitman’s Shovel-snout East African Shovel-snout Mole Snakes and relatives Mole Snake African Burrowing Snakes Bibron’s Burrowing Asp Congo Burrowing Asp Katanga Purple-glossed Snake Common Purple-glossed Snake Kalahari Purple-glossed Snake Gerard’s Striped Burrowing Snake Bicoloured Quill-snouted Snake Elongate Quill-snouted Snake Black Snake-eater Common Centipede-eater Black Centipede-eater Reticulated Centipede-eater Congo Centipede-eater Wedge-snouted Burrowing Snake Old World Snakes Common File Snake Black File Snake Western Forest File Snake Mozambique Wolf Snake Common Wolf Snake Spotted Wolf Snake Variegated Wolf Snake Brown House Snake Frade’s Brown House Snake Sooty House Snake Lake Tanganyika Water Snake Mulanje Water Snake Floodplain Water Snake Whyte’s Water Snake Malagasy Snakes and relatives Shire Slug-eater Mambas, Cobras and relatives Green Mamba Jameson’s Mamba Black Mamba Anchieta’s Cobra Banded Water Cobra Snouted Cobra Mozambique Spitting Cobra Black-necked Spitting Cobra Brown Forest Cobra Boulenger’s Garter Snake Günther’s Garter Snake Angolan Garter Snake Old World Water Snakes Eastern Striped Swamp Snake Angolan Swamp Snake South-western Forest Marsh Snake Olive Marsh Snake Forest Marsh Snake Typical Snakes Ornate Water Snake Thollon’s Water Snake Jackson’s Tree Snake Kivu Boomslang Spotted Boomslang Northern Boomslang Splendid Dagger-tooth Tree Snake Savanna Vine Snake Forest Vine Snake Eastern Vine Snake Western Green Snake Slender Green Snake South-eastern Green Snake Ornate Green Snake Speckled Green Snake Spotted Bush Snake Grey Hook-nosed Snake Eastern Tiger Snake Barotse Cat Snake Black-templed Cat Snake Tornier’s Cat Snake Marbled Tree Snake Cross-barred Tree Snake Shreve’s Marbled Tree Snake Semiornate Snake Diamond-back Egg-eater Eastern Forest Egg-eater Rhombic Egg-eater Blanding’s Tree Snake Lizards – Sauria Geckos Common Tropical House Gecko Flat-headed Tropical House Gecko Tete Fragile-skinned Gecko Tubercled Fragile-skinned Gecko Button-scaled Gecko Katanga Thick-toed Gecko O’Shaughnessy’s Thick-toed Gecko Speckled Thick-toed Gecko Kalahari Thick-toed Gecko Angola Dwarf Gecko Angulate Dwarf Gecko Mulanje Dwarf Gecko Common Dwarf Gecko Chobe Dwarf Gecko Chevron-throated Dwarf Gecko Heenen’s Dwarf Gecko King Dwarf Gecko Plated Lizards Rough-scaled Plated Lizard Common Giant Plated Lizard Ellenberger’s Long-tailed Seps Kalahari Plated Lizard Yellow-throated Plated Lizard Eastern Black-lined Plated Lizard Bocage’s Plated Lizard Western Black-lined Plated Lizard Girdled Lizards Common Flat Lizard Mitchell’s Flat Lizard Striped Flat Lizard Zambian Grass Lizard Nyika Girdled Lizard Tropical Girdled Lizard Legless Skinks Barotse Legless Skink Schmitz’s Legless Skink Old World Skinks Angola Burrowing Skink Four-toed Burrowing Skink Roux’s Dart Skink Rohan’s Dart Skink Black Limbless Skink Loveridge’s Limbless Skink Mulanje Montane Skink Pacific Skinks Spotted-neck Snake-eyed Skink Seydel’s Snake-eyed Skink Wahlberg’s Snake-eyed Skink De Witte’s Five-toed Skink Advanced Skinks Eastern Red-flanked Writhing Skink Sundevall’s Writhing Skink True Skinks Western Serpentiform Skink Nyika Serpentiform Skink Iven’s Skink White-spotted Variable Skink Boulenger’s Skink Cape Skink Damara Variable Skink Montane Three-striped Skink Bronze Rock Skink Speckle-lipped Skink Rainbow Skink Long-tailed Skink Mulanje Skink Eastern Tree Skink Speckled Skink Central African Variable Skink Lavushi Manda Skink Eastern Striped Skink Common Variable Skink Wahlberg’s Striped Skink Worm Lizards Kafue Dwarf Worm Lizard Black Dwarf Worm Lizard Kalahari Dwarf Worm Lizard Anchieta’s Worm Lizard Maurice’s Worm Lizard Zimbabwe Worm Lizard Zambezi Worm Lizard Angolan Worm Lizard Barotse Worm Lizard Long-tailed Worm Lizard Pestle-tailed Worm Lizard Old World Lizards or Lacertids Boulenger’s Scrub Lizard Holub’s Scrub Lizard Ornate Scrub Lizard Johnston’s Long-tailed Lizard Angolan Rough-scaled Lizard Common Rough-scaled Lizard Zambezi Rough-scaled Lizard Rough-scaled Savanna Lizard Eastern Saw-tailed Lizard Multi-scaled Forest Lizard Monitors White-throated Monitor Water Monitor Chameleons Poroto Single-horned Chameleon Beardless Leaf Chameleon Mulanje Chameleon Chapman’s Pygmy Chameleon Pitless Pygmy Chameleon Mulanje Pygmy Chameleon Anchieta’s Chameleon Flap-necked Chameleon Smooth Chameleon Goetze’s Whistling Chameleon Ukinga Hornless Chameleon Giant One-horned Chameleon Agamas Blue-headed Tree Agama Bill’s Tree Agama Western Tree Agama Eastern Tree Agama Peter’s Ground Agama Kirk’s Rock Agama Mozambique Agama Chelonians – Testudines Side-necked Terrapins – Pleurodira African Terrapins Central Marsh Terrapin Okavango Hinged Terrapin Yellow-bellied Hinged Terrapin Dwarf Hinged Terrapin Mashona Hinged Terrapin Serrated Hinged Terrapin Pan Hinged Terrapin Modern Chelonians – Cryptodira Soft-shelled Terrapins Zambezi Soft-shelled Terrapin Land Tortoises Pancake Tortoise Bell’s Hinged Tortoise Speke’s Hinged Tortoise Eastern Hinged Tortoise Leopard Tortoise Crocodylians – Crocodylia Crocodiles Eastern Slender-snouted Crocodile Nile Crocodile Glossary References Photographic credits Useful contacts Index to scientific names Index to common names Rate this book

Zambia and Malawi are home to 240 known snake, lizard, terrapin, tortoise and crocodile species. Snakes and other Reptiles of Zambia and Malawi is the first field guide to describe every species of reptile known to occur in this region – including 14 endemics and several new discoveries. Comprehensive descriptions of each order, suborder, family, genus and species. Species descriptions cover identifying features, behaviour, prey and predators, reproduction, range, and danger to humans. Accounts are supported by stunning colour photographs and up-to-date distribution maps that draw on over 16,000 recorded observations. Dichotomous identification keys guide users to the correct genus and species. Introduction includes clear diagrams of morphological features and unpacks the region’s biogeography and diverse habitat types, different venom types and the basic principles of snakebite treatment. This comprehensive field guide – the first of its kind for the region – will appeal to both experienced herpetologists and nature enthusiasts in general. Sales points: Definitive guide to the 240 known reptile species of Zambia and Malawi; authoritative text by leaders in the field; up to date, including several new discoveries; supported by excellent colour photographs; accessible to both scientists and laypersons.