Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

I am trying to identify this snake that I saw in the Los Llanos region of Venezuela, near the city of San Fernando de Apure. The snake is mainly light green shading to yellow below with brown sides and a light green stripe down the back. It has large eyes. It's slender and climbs trees. I'd guess it was around three feet long. The locals said it was very dangerous but it seemed more like a colubrid to me. When pressed, they said it would slap you with its tail. Unfortunately I didn't get to see that behavior.

I hope the links to the photos work.

The photos work fine, & are more than adequate for identification by someone who recognizes that snake. I do not, but I can tell you that your suspicions are correct. It is a colubrid, & at worst a rear-fanged snake that is probably not dangerous to man. I thought it may be a variety of Masticophis, but I can't find anything in that genus that comes that far south that looks like that.

There are others here who will no doubt give you the answer you are seeking.

~~Greg~~

That looks like it might be a species of the genus Philodryas, a rear-fanged colubrid genus from S. America.

I am not familiar with all the species, but some species of Philodryas certainly have medically significant venoms and I believe at least one has proven fatal.

There is a website called Philodryas.com that has more info on the genus.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

That is likely a species of Chironius. thanks.....Tom Crutchfield

Hi,

Sure, I have the same opinion.
I think this is Chironius spixii.

Rémi

they would be more knowledgeable about this snake apparantly. I would check them out and see what they have to say.

Chironius is NOT even a rear fanged snake. They are harmless...Tom Crutchfield

I agree with Remi that the snake is Chironius spixii.. I found a nice photo of one at http://www.ophidia.org.ve/. Surprisingly, they also add:

"Se ha documentado esta serpiente usándolo es cola para azotar ojos de la gente. Es el tercero que la mayoría de la razón común de la ceguera dentro de él es gama nativa."

Which means that it is a common story that the snake will strike people in the eyes with its tail. Wish I had seen that. The one I saw seemed pretty inoffensive.