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Home -> Kingdom Animalia -> Phylum Chordata -> Subphylum Vertebrata -> Class Reptilia -> Order Squamata -> Suborder Serpentes -> Family Colubridae -> Species Oxybelis fulgidus

Oxybelis fulgidus
green vine snake



2008/05/11 07:10:36.993 GMT-4

By Kathleen Grant

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Oxybelis
Species: Oxybelis fulgidus

Geographic Range

This species ranges widely from Mexico south to Bolivia (Lamar 1997).

Biogeographic Regions:
nearctic (native ).

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 external link (editor), Michigan State University.

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..

2008/05/11 07:10:37.901 GMT-4

To cite this page: Grant, K. 2000. "Oxybelis fulgidus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed May 17, 2008 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Oxybelis_fulgidus.html.

Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

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