Oxybelis fulgidusGreen Vine Snake
Geographic Range
This species ranges widely from Mexico south to Bolivia (Lamar 1997).
Habitat
This snake is most often found inhabiting rainforest or gallery forest, and because of its leafy coloration it is hard to detect (Lamar 1997).
- Terrestrial Biomes
- rainforest
Physical Description
This species has a pointy head with leafy green coloration on its dorsum and lighter green on its ventrum. Its iris is golden colored with a round pupil. It can reach in excess of 6 feet (Lamar 1997).
Reproduction
The only information available on the green vine snake's reproduction is that like most of its reptile relatives it lays eggs (Lamar 1997).
Behavior
Not much is known about the activities or behavior of this animal. One of the only things that is known is that as a means of warning or defense it will flatten its head to appear larger and more threatening. It is an arboreal snake that specializes in "sit and wait" predation (Seigel 1993).
Food Habits
Oxybelis fulgidus is very adept at capturing birds, and in some areas specializes in catching hummingbirds. It will sometimes position itself next to a flower and remain motionless, waiting for hummingbirds to approach (Lamar 1997).
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
No information available.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
No information available.
Conservation Status
-
- IUCN Red List
- No special status
-
- US Federal List
- No special status
-
- CITES
- No special status
Contributors
Kathleen Grant (author), Michigan State University, James Harding (editor), Michigan State University.
Glossary
- Nearctic
-
living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- rainforest
-
rainforests, both temperate and tropical, are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground. Epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant. Precipitation is typically not limiting, but may be somewhat seasonal.
References
Lamar, W. 1997. The World's Most Spectacular Reptiles and Amphibians. Tampa, Florida: World Publications.
Seigel, R., J. Collins. 1993. Snakes-Ecology and Behavior. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill,Inc..