Philodryas

Philodryas
Philodryas patagoniensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Xenodontinae
Genus:	Philodryas Wagler, 1830[1]
Species
See text
Synonyms
Atamophis, Callirhinus, Chlorosoma, Dirrhox, Dryophylax, Euophrys, Galeophis, Herpetodryas, Lygophis, Teleolepis, Xenodon [2]

Philodryas is a genus of colubrid snakes endemic to South America,^[2] commonly called green snakes.

Description

Species in the genus Philodryas share the following characters:

Head distinct from neck, with distinct canthus rostralis. Eye moderate or large. Pupil round. Body cylindrical or slightly laterally compressed. Tail long.

Dorsal scales arranged in 17 to 23 rows at midbody, more or less obliquely. Subcaudals divided (in two rows).

Maxillary teeth smallest anteriorly, 12-15, followed after a gap by two large grooved fangs located just behind the posterior border of the eye.^[2]

Venom

Although colubrid snakes are usually harmless to humans, Philodryas are opisthoglyphous (rear-fanged) snakes^[2] and can give a venomous bite. However, they have mild venom; so a bite is unlikely to cause lasting damage to humans.

Species and geographic ranges

There are 18 recognized species.^[1]

• Philodryas aestiva (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854) - N Argentina, Bolivia, SE Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
• Philodryas arnoldoi (Amaral, 1932) - SE Brazil
• Philodryas baroni Berg, 1895 - N Argentina
• Philodryas boliviana Boulenger, 1896 - Bolivia
• Philodryas carbonelli Roze, 1957 - S Venezuela
• Philodryas chamissonis (Wiegmann, 1834) - Chile
• Philodryas livida (Amaral, 1923)
• Philodryas mattogrossensis Koslowsky, 1898 - Bolivia, SW Brazil, Paraguay
• Philodryas nattereri Steindachner, 1870 - WC Brazil, Paraguay
• Philodryas olfersii (Lichtenstein, 1823) - Argentina, Bolivia, W Brazil, Paraguay, E Peru, Uruguay
• Philodryas oligolepis Gomes, 1921 - Minas Gerais, Brazil
• Philodryas patagoniensis (Girard, 1857) - Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil
• Philodryas psammophidea Günther, 1872 - Argentina, W & S Brazil
• Philodryas simonsi Boulenger, 1900 - Ecuador, Peru
• Philodryas tachymenoides (Schmidt & Walker, 1943) - Chile, Peru
• Philodryas trilineata (Burmeister, 1861)
• Philodryas varia (Jan, 1863)^[3]
• Philodryas viridissima (Linnaeus, 1758) - N South America in Amazon and Paraguay River basins^[4]

References

1. "Philodryas". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
2. Boulenger, G.A. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ)... Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, Printers.) London. xxiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.- XXV. (Genus Philodryas, p. 127.)
3. http://www.philodryas.com
4. Freiberg, M. 1982. Snakes of South America T.F.H. Publications. Hong Kong. 189 pp. ISBN 0-87666-912-7. (Genus Philodryas, pp. 106-107.)

Further reading

• Wagler, J.G. 1830. Natürliches System der Amphibien, mit vorangehender Classification des Säugthiere und Vögel. Ein Beitrag zur vergleichenden Zoologie. J.G. Cotta. Munich, Stuttgart, and Tübingen. vi + 354 pp. (Genus Philodryas, p. 185.)