Mecistops leptorhynchus (Bennett, 1835)

Taxonomic Classification

The Central African slender-snouted crocodile, scientifically named Mecistops leptorhynchus (Bennett, 1835), is one of two species in the crocodile genus Mecistops.

Species Separation Confirmation

It was originally classified as a population of the West African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus), but two detailed studies conducted in 2014 and 2018 confirmed that it should be recognized as a separate species.

Original Formal Description

This species was first formally described in 1835, based on a specimen that died at London Zoo. The collector of the specimen stated it had been collected from Fernando Po.

Species Distinctiveness Evidence

Further study of specimens and their molecular sequences confirmed that the two Mecistops species are distinct, and each occupies a separate hydrological zone.

Morphological Differentiation

Mecistops leptorhynchus can be easily told apart from Mecistops cataphractus by physical characteristics: M. leptorhynchus lacks a round tubercle or boss on the squamosal scale at the back of the head, while this structure is present in M. cataphractus.

Central African Distribution

This crocodile is widely distributed across Central Africa, with populations found in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, northern Angola, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

East African Range Extension

Its range also extends into South Sudan in East Africa.