Snakes of Jebel Al Dair Biosphere Reserve, North Kordofan State
Mohmed A Abd El-Rahman1, Mohamed A A Salih2 and Zuheir N Mahmoud3*
1Natural History Museum, Faculty of Science, University of Khordofan, Sudan
2Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Khordofan, Sudan
3Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Khartoum, Sudan
Submission: April 18, 2023;Published: May 05, 2023
*Corresponding author: Zuheir N Mahmoud, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Khartoum, Sudan, email id: zuheirnm@hotmil.com
How to cite this article: Mohmed A Abd El-R, Mohamed A A S, Zuheir N M. Snakes of Jebel Al Dair Biosphere Reserve, North Kordofan State Ecol Conserv Sci. 2023; 2(4): 555592 DOI:10.19080/ECOA.2023.02.555592
Abstract
Twenty snake species falling into 15 genera and 10 families were found in Jabal Al Dair Biosphere Reserve. 11 species were found to be first record to Sudan from the study area. All encountered species are at Least Concerned according to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Colubridae with 5 genera, has higher richness compared with other families. The Psammophisidae outnumbered the snake collected followed by Viperidae.
Keywords: Biosphere; Reserve; Snakes; Kordofan; Sudan
Introduction
Notes on Sudan snakes and their description were attributed to Flower [1], Corkill [2], Loveridge [3], Schmidt [4], Venkatraman & Badawi [5], Osman & Tag Elsir [6], [7] and [8]. This indicates that the snakes of the Sudan are widely distributed. According to Corkill [2] there are six families of snakes represented in the Sudan; including thirty-nine species. Of these species the Family Typhlopidae, the Blind Snakes takes one; the Family Leptotyphlopidae, the Earth Snakes, one; the Family Boidse, the Boas and Pythons takes three. The Family Colubridse, fifteen in its fangless division, the Aglypha and ten in its fanged division, the Opisthoglypha; the Family Elapidae, the Cobras, three; and the Family Viperidas, the Vipers, six. The blind snake Indotyphlops braminus is the smallest snake species in Sudan [8]. Naja haje, Naja nigricollis and Naja melanoleuca may spit their venom in the eyes of those they encounter Loveridge [3].
Material and Methods
The study area
Jebel Al Dair Biosphere Reserve (JADBR) in North Kordofan State is located between 12⁰28″ and 30⁰30″N; 13⁰12″ and 42⁰30″E. It rises 1,451m covering 6,374 km2 (https://plus.google.com/+UNESCO 2021). JADBR is composed of dry savannah woodlands, forest ecosystems and a network of streams (IFAD, 2008). Whiteman (1971) and www.easnap.com (2021) adequately described its topography.
Snakes collection and identification
The snakes were recognized directly and captured by a snake capture. Their identification followed Largen and Spawls [9] www.reptile-database.org; www.africanreptiles-venom.co.za; www.fonozoo.com; www.eol.org). Photos were taken by a digital canon camera (EOS 700D, 18-55mm) fitted with a zoom lens 450-800mm. A camera-trapping of the type (wosports) was set above the ground at 20-50cm to capture photos of snakes passing by during day and night. A Samsung grand 2 mobile was also used.
Results
Twenty snake species were collected from JADBR (Table 1) & (Figures 1-8). These species fall into 16 genera and 10 families. All encountered species are at Least Concerned according to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [10]. Diversity wide, the Family: Colubridae with 5 genera, has higher richness than the rest of the families. Psammophisidae was represented by one genus and three species. only one specimen of A. lineolatus, M. semiornatus and S. diadema were found and this was during autumn. The following seven species (E. muelleri, P. regious, P. mossambicus, P. sibilans, P. sudanensis, Naja nubiae and Naja haje) were encountered during all seasons. which are represented each by one genus. The Psammophisidae outnumbered the collection followed by Viperidae (Table 1). Snakes species observed in different habitats and elevations of JADBR were given in (Table 2). The table revealed that:
a) Psammophis sibilant and Psammophis sudanensis were found in the six habitats.
b) Afrotyphlops lineolatus and Lycophidium capense were found once in the mountain.
c) A single specimen of Meizodon semiornatus was found in a tree.
d) A single specimen of Spalerosophis diadema was found in an agriculture plot.
e) Psammophis sudanensis outnumbered the specimens followed by Echis pyramidum.
f) The agricultural plots showed the highest number of snakes and the lowest number was encountered in woodland savanna habitat.
g) Woodland savanna habitat and agricultural plots each host 11 species of snakes. On the other hand, the semi-arid lands contain 7 snake species.
h) Echis pyramidum recorded the highest score of a species in a habitat (trees).
i) Psammophis mossambicus, P. sudanensis and N. nubiae were found in all elevations.
j) Myriophlois cairi, E. muelleri, M. semiornatus, S. diadema, A. wastoni and B. arietans were confined to elevations <5m.
k) Afrotyphlops lineolatus was found only in elevations >500.
Naja haje was the longest and massive snake (215cm in total length) while M. cairi was tiny and the shortest intotal length (7.4cm).
Discussion
The current study found 20 species, 16 genera and 10 families of snakes in JDBR (Table 1). Thirty-nine species of snakes from Sudan were encountered by Corkill [2]; 28 species were recorded by [7] and Indotyphlops braminus by [8]. Corkill [2] recorded 27 species from Kordofan. During the present study 9 of these species were confirmed to JADBR. Compilation of those records revealed a total of 60 snake species in Sudan falling into 10 families. The present study added 11 more species to Sudan as first record from JADBR. These are: A. lineolatus, M. cairi, L. capense, P. florulentus, M. semiornatus, T. tripolitanus, P. mossambicus, P. sudanensis, A. wastoni, R. rostratus and N. nubiae. Corkill [2] recorded M. cairi in Halfa, Khartoum and the Blue Nile; P. sebae, P. regious only in Diling and Kadugli in the Nuba Mountains of Kordofan; L. capense in Nuba Mountains and Erkowit; P. florulentus, S. diadema, P. semivariegatus, R. rostratus, P. sibilans, P. sudanensis, N. haje and B. arietans from several places. Atractaspis watsoni is distributed from Mauritania to Sudan in Sudano-Sahelian savannah Trape [11]. Python regius and P. sebae are near threatened while the rest of the snakes are at least concern according to IUCN [10]. A total of 112 Pelomedusa subrufa were recorded during this study. Python regius and Python sebae are near threatened 9- Myriopholis (macrohynca) while the rest of the snakes are at least concern according Red list ver 3.1 2016 (www.iucnredlist. org, 2016). The possibility of finding 4 species under the genus Psammophis, 3 under the genus Echis, 2 under each of the genera Naja, Atractaspis, and Afrotyphlops, and 1 species under each of the genera Platyceps, Bitis and Myriopholis should not be under looked. Corkill [2] and Loveridge [3] noticed that Eryx thebacius, Psammophis sibilans and Naja spp., are usually found near plantations. Recently, Native Reptiles of Sudan [12-15] added Bitis gabonica, Causus maculatus, Rhamphiophis oxyrhynchus and Dasypeltis scabra [16,17] to the snakes of Sudan.
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