Ecological notes on two sympatric Psammophis species from East Africa

Abstract

We investigated the ecology of two sympatric whipsnakes from East Africa (Psammophis punctulatus trivirgatus and P. biseriatus) by examining preserved museum specimens (n = 40). Both species lacked any significant sexual size dimorphism and displayed seasonal reproductive cycles. These findings are consistent with previous investigations of allopatric congeners using similar methodologies. While sample sizes for this study are small, our data lend support to the notion that many ecological traits of this speciose genus are constant across the heterogeneous environments of Africa and Asia they inhabit.