List of reptiles and frogs of the Eastern Highlands
The reptiles and frogs of the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe and Mozambique mark a biodiversity hotspot for herpetofauna. Diverse frog and reptile communities include endemic species.
The range of Rhampholeon marshalli approximates the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe and Mozambique
Geography and climate
The Eastern Highlands extend 300 kilometres (190 mi) along Zimbabwe's eastern border with Mozambique. There are two broadly defined high-altitude ecological habitats in the Eastern Zimbabwe montane forest-grassland mosaic; a wet lowland forest ecology predominates the eastern side of the mountain ranges, while a more arid ecology dominates the western side. The Highlands have a more equable climate than Zimbabwe's central plateau, with higher rainfall, low cloud and heavy mists and dew as moisture moves inland from the Indian Ocean. Many streams and rivers originate in these mountains, which form the watershed between the Zambezi and Save River systems.[1]
Species lists
Tortoises
- Leopard tortoise Geochelone pardalis babcocki: Very large specimens of this species live in the Nyanga and Chipinge Downs. Juveniles are preyed on by Ground hornbills and Secretarybirds.
- Speke's hinge-back tortoise Kinixys spekii: specialists of kopje areas and live amongst the boulders of granite outcrops.
Lizards and amphisbaenians
Skinks
- Arnold's skink Proscelotes arnoldi – endemic
Geckos
- Bernard's dwarf gecko Lygodactylus bernardi (Fitzsimmons, 1958) – endemic to the Nyanga Mountains of Zimbabwe & Mozambique
- Cape dwarf gecko Lygodactylus capensis (A. Smith, 1849)
Chameleons
- Marshall's pygmy chameleon (also Marshall's leaf chameleon) Rhampholeon marshalli – endemic
Amphisbaenians
- Swynnerton's worm lizard Chirindia swynnertoni – Mozambique plain and adjacent Zimbabwe[2]
- Ferocious round-headed worm lizard Zygaspis ferox – endemic to Chirinda Forest and vicinity[2]
- Rhodesian spade-snouted worm lizard Monopeltis rhodesiana – ranges to Malawi[2]
Snakes
- Green water snake Lycodonomorphus laevissimus disambiguate from green water snake Philothamnus hoplogaster
- Brown water snake Lycodonomorphus rufus
- Whyte's water snake Lycodonomorphus whytii
- Brown house snake Lamprophis filiginosus
- Cape wolf snake
- Variegated wolf snake
- Dwarf wolf snake
- Cape file snake Meheleya capensis
- Black file snake
- Common slug eater Duberria lutrix
- Mole snake Psedudoaspsis cana
- Forest marsh snake
- Olive marsh snake
- Bark snake Mopane Snake
- Beaked snake
- Striped skaapstekker
- Eastern stripe-bellied sand snake
- Dwarf sand snake
- Short snouted grass snake
- Olive grass snake Psammophis phillipsii
- Montane grass snake Psammophis sp
- Bibron's Asp
- Reticulated centipede eater
- Black centipede eater
- Cape centipede eater
- Purple-glossed snake
- Spotted bush snake Philothamnus semivariegatus
- Ornate green snake Philothamnus ornatus
- Western green snake Philothamuns angolensis
- Green water snake Philothamnus hoplogaster
- Egg eater Dasypeltis scabra
- Montane egg eater Dasypeltis medici
- Red-lipped herald snake Herald Snake Crotaphopeltis hotamboela
- Tiger snake
- Marbled tree snake
- Boomslang Dispholidus typus venomous
- Bird snake Thelotornis capensis venomous
- Spitting cobra Naja mossambica venomous
- Rinkhals venomous
- Egyptian cobra Naja haje venomous
- Forest cobra venomous
- Black mamba highly venomous
- Green mamba venomous
- Common night adder
- Snouted night adder
- Puff Adder highly venomous Bitis arietans
- Gaboon viper highly venomous Bitis gabonica
- Berg adder venomous Bitis sp
Frogs
- African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis
- Müller's platanna, Xenopus muelleri
- Bufo inyangae
- Bufo pusillus
- Bufo garmani
- Bufo fenoulheti
- Bufo grindleyi (endemic)
- Boulengers earless toad, Stephanopaedes anotis (endemic)
- African red toad / Strawberry toad, Schismaderma carens, Smith, 1848
- Probreviceps rhodesianus
- Breviceps mossambicus
- Breviceps adspersus
- Angola river frog, Amietia angolensis
- Inyangani river frog, Amietia inyangae
- Chimanimani stream frog, aka Hewitt's Long-nosed Frog, Strongylopus rhodesianus
- Striped stream frog, aka Striped Long-toed Frog, Strongylopus fasciatus
- Golden-backed frog, Hylarana darlingi
- Shovel-footed bush squeaker, Arthroleptis stenodactylus
- Cave squeaker, Arthroleptis troglodytes (endemic)
- Hewitt's Bush squeaker, Arthroleptis wahlbergii or Arthrolepsis xenodactyloides (endemic)
- Yellow-spotted tree frog, Leptopelis flavomaculatus
- Bocage's tree frog, Leptopelis bocagii
- Tinker reed frog, Hyperolius tuberilinguis
- Sharpe-nosed reed frog, Hyperolius nasutus
- Marbled/Broadley's reed frog, Hyperolius marmoratus broadleyi (endemic)
- Swynnerton's reed frog, Hyperolius swynnertoni (endemic)
- Aposematic reed frog, Hyperolius aposematicus (endemic)
- Marbled snout-burrower, aka Marbled Shovel-nosed Frog, Hemisus marmoratus
Bibliography
- Branch B, 2003, Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa, Struik
- Lambiris A, 1989, The Frogs of Zimbabwe, Natural Science Museum of Turin Monographs
References
- Encyclopedia Zimbabwe (2nd ed.). Worcester: Arlington Business Corporation. 1989. ISBN 0-9514505-0-6.
- Branch, Bill (1998). Field guide to snakes and other reptiles of southern Africa (3 ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 122–125. ISBN 9781868720408.
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