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Mario Schweiger wrote:For me, this Hemorrhois is algirus, by head scalation! But with a bit strange dorsal pattern.
I´m even not 100% sure, if all these hippocrepis records from south of the Anti-Atlas are relly horseshoes?
Remember: intermedius, now a ssp. of algirus was a ssp. of hippocrepis until the 80ies of the last century!

Here the text of hippocrepis and algirus, out of Bons & Geniez (1996):

For me is algirus x hippocrepis. To Geniez is hippocrepis with anormal head scales. I´ve read the text of Bons & Geniez 1996 more than 50 times, and they leave the door open... But I don´t think all these hippocrepis are 100% hippocrepis. For example, in Torkoz I saw one photo of a Hemorrhois and it was exactly like our Tata specimen. A H. algirus or a clear H. hippocrepis. I think the hybridation is very possible. Some genetic analisis should clear the status of Hemorrhois sp. in the contact. Until then all are hipotesis. And what differences there are between algirus intermedius and hippocrepis??? Both have horseshoe mark, the dorsal design is very variable, the head pholidosis is very variable and in Guelmim is VERY typical this anormal scalation (also in Rabat is possible to find this anormal scalation; Schleich et al., 1996). So I can´t know real differences between this species (maybe longitunidal rows of dorsal scales at midbody: in algirus 23-25 in Geniez et al. 2004 and hippocrepis 25-27 in Feriche (http://www.vertebradosibericos.com). I need to count scales in the next trip to Morocco

Martti Niskanen wrote:Great post and that Telescopus is an absolute stunner

Yes, for me too

Guillaume Gomard wrote:Lucky lucky guy!

Indeed... in the past many years in Granada finding only NAtrix maura and Pelophylax perezi, and now I´m finding interesting things!

Guillaume Gomard wrote:I don't think this is due to the fact that it was shedding from what I could see on the web (Cf iridophores)

I thought it was just shedding, by the shine. The blue colour maybe is because the iridophores like you says...

As you know, I'd call all these strange ones hippocrepis, but PLEASE take a sample if you find another

Again all photos were really good, liked it a lot!!

Jeroen Speybroeck wrote:As you know, I'd call all these strange ones hippocrepis

maybe you´re right...

Jeroen Speybroeck wrote: but PLEASE take a sample if you find another

I wish Carranza shows interesting in this herpetological "trouble", and we will see what happen in the contact area between hippocrepis and algirus...

GertJan Verspui wrote:Again all photos were really good, liked it a lot!!

Thanks GertJan