Amblyodipsas katangensis, or the Katanga purple-glossed snake, is a species of rear-fanged mildly venomous snake in the family Lamprophiidae. The species is endemic to Africa.
Subspecies Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Amblyodipsas katangensis ionidesi Amblyodipsas katangensis katangensis
Geographic range A. katangensis katangensis is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. A. katangensis ionidesi is found in Tanzania.
Etymology The subspecific name, ionidesi, is in honor of British game warden Constantine John Philip Ionides (1901–1968), who was known as the "Snake Man of British East Africa".Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (Amblyodipsas katangensis ionidesi, p. 130).
Reproduction A. katangensis is oviparous.
References
Further reading de Witte GF, Laurent R (1942). "Contribution à la Faune Herpétologique du Congo belge ". Revue de zoologie et de botanique africaines 36 (2): 101–115. (Amblyodipsas katangensis, new species, p. 113). (in French). Branch, Bill (2005). A Photographic Guide to Snakes, Other Reptiles and Amphibians of East Africa. Cape Town: Struik. p. 67.