Broadley,
Donald G. 2002.
A review of the species of Psammophis Boie found south
of Latitude 12° S (Serpentes: Psammophiinae). African Journal of
Herpetology, 2002 51(2): 83-119.
The status, relationships and zoogeography of the 14 taxa of Psammophis found
south of Latitude 12° S are reviewed and the following taxonomic changes are
proposed:
Psammophis trinasalis and P. namibensis, previously treated as
subspecies of P. leightoni, are recognised as good evolutionary species
which show ecological differences.
Psammophis orientalis, previously regarded as a subspecies of P.
subtaeniatus, differs from the latter in a suite of characters and is
parapatric with it in Zimbabwe, so it is now recognised as an evolutionary
species.
Psammophis brevirostris and P. leopardinus, previously regarded as
subspecies of P. sibilans (Linnaeus), are recognised as relict
evolutionary species. The Zambian populations previously assigned to P.
leopardinus have been described as a new species (Hughes & Wade, in press).