Synopsis of the terrestrial Reptiles of Equatorial Guinea Author Sánchez-Vialas, Alberto Author Calvo-Revuelta, Marta 0000-0002-8628-1055 Author Riva, Ignacio De La 0000-0001-5064-4507 albertosv@mncn.csic.es text Zootaxa 2022 2022-11-03 5202 1 1 197 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5202.1.1 journal article 182444 10.11646/zootaxa.5202.1.1 45ba25c1-47a9-4001-93d9-294815bf37e7 1175-5326 7285600 BF4831D2-D98B-4265-9138-03DB8607B826 Melanoseps poensis (Bocage, 1895) Scelotes poensis Bocage, 1895b: 16 . Type locality: “Bissé, nas faldas do Pico de Santa Isabel ”. Basilé, foothill of Pico Basilé. Melanoseps poensis (Bocage, 1895) : Brygoo & Roux-Esteve 1982: 1171 . Distribution . Endemic to Bioko. This taxon is only known from the type locality, close to Basilé, Bioko ( Bocage 1895b , 1897 , 1903 ; Boulenger 1906 ) ( Map 16A ). Comments. Treated as a synonym of Melanoseps occidentalis by Mertens (1964) without providing any justification. Morphologically allied and likely conspecific to Melanoseps occidentalis ( Brygoo & Roux-Esteve 1982 ) , being the only difference between them is the number of supraciliary scales, five in M. poensis and four in M. occidentalis . Unfortunately, the types of Scelotes poensis were lost during the fire suffered in the Museu Bocage of Lisbon in 1977 ( Brygoo & Roux-Esteve 1982 ), hampering the solution of this taxonomic problem. The study of further collected topotypic specimens will be required in order to resolve its identity. Brygoo & Roux-Esteve (1982) tentatively treated M. poensis as a valid species until more data are available but suggesting the likely conspecificity of both taxa. Specimens examined. No specimens of this species have been found in the collections examined.