By Kathleen Grant
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).
Some key physical features:
ectothermic
; bilateral symmetry
.
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).
Key reproductive features:
gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate).
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).
Key behaviors:
motile
.
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: Negative
No information available.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
No information available.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Not Evaluated.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
No special status.
We have no text on this topic for this species. Look to the sidebar on the right for some limited information.
Contributors
Kathleen Grant (author), Michigan State University.
James Harding
(editor), Michigan State University.
