A Review Of The Angolan House Snakes, Genus Boaedon Dumeril, Bibron And Dumeril (1854) (Serpentes: Lamprophiidae), With Description Of Three New Species In The Boaedon Fuliginosus (Boie, 1827) Species Complex

An integrative taxonomic review of the genusBoaedonin Angola is provided. A molecular phylogeny, based on 99 genetic samples for which the mitochondrial markers 16S rRNA have been sequenced, reveals 23 monophyletic species-level groups in Africa and indicates the presence of nine species in Angola. Based on both phylogenetic and morphological data, we revalidate and designate a neotype forB. angolensis, describe three new species for Angola (e.g.B. bocageisp. nov.,B. branchisp. nov., andB. fradeisp. nov.),revalidateB. variegatusfrom its synonymy withB. lineatusand designate a lectotype for this taxon, and identifyB. lineatusvar.lineolatusas a junior synonym ofB. variegatus. The taxonomic status of the recently describedB. paralineatusfrom Central Africa is discussed with respect to the more inclusiveB. lineatusgroup. Moreover, we report on a new country record for Angola, namelyB. mentalis, which we elevate here to full species and discuss the taxonomic status of this species in southern Africa. Finally, we provide an identification key and updated distribution maps for allBoaedonspecies occurring in Angola, including the Cabinda enclave.