About Atractaspis bibronii Smith, 1849
Adults of Atractaspis bibronii Smith, 1849 have an average total length (including the tail) of 30–40 cm (12–16 in), and reach a maximum total length of 55 cm (21+3⁄4 in). The dorsal side is uniformly colored grey, dark brown, or black. The belly is uniformly white or pale yellow, marked with a series of dark blotches. In individuals with lighter belly coloration, the belly color can also extend across two or three scale rows on the flanks. The snout is prominent and subcuneiform. The portion of the rostral scale visible from above is as long as, or slightly shorter than, the distance between the rostral and the frontal scale. Dorsal scales are arranged in 21 or 23 rows at midbody. There are 221 to 260 ventral scales. The anal scale is entire. There are 20 to 23 subcaudal scales, and all or most of these are single (not divided). Atractaspis bibronii is native to southern Africa, with a range extending from central Namibia east to northern South Africa, and north to southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, eastern Tanzania, coastal Kenya, and the extreme southern coastal region of Somalia. The species' preferred habitats include fynbos, the Namib Desert, karoo scrub, semi-desert, arid savannah, savannah, moist savannah, grassland, lowland forest, and woodland.
