''Amblyodipsas concolor'', also known as the KwaZulu-Natal purple-glossed snake or Natal purple-glossed snake, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

venomous Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

rear-fanged

snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...

in the

Atractaspididae The Atractaspididae (atractaspidids) are a family of venomous snakes found in Africa and the Middle East, commonly called mole vipers, stiletto snakes, or burrowing asps. Currently, 12 genera are recognized. Description This family includes many ...

family.

Geographic range

It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to Southern

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. More specifically it is found in the northeastern and eastern parts of the

Republic of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

and in

Eswatini Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...

. Its range probably extends into southern Mozambique.

Description

Dorsally dark brown or purple-black, with purple gloss. Ventrally pale blackish purple, the ventrals margined behind with livid white. Dorsal scales in 17 rows. Ventrals 133–157; subcaudals 28–39. Total length ; tail . Boulenger, G.A. 1896. ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume III''. London. p. 246.

References

* Smith, A. 1849. ''Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa, Volume 3 (Reptiles)''. Smith, Elder, and Co. London. appendix p. 18. {{Taxonbar, from=Q2703942 Atractaspididae Snakes of Africa Reptiles of Eswatini Reptiles of South Africa Reptiles described in 1849 Taxa named by Andrew Smith (zoologist)