ANIMALS - REPTILES - SNAKES - SOUTH AMERICAN GREEN RACER (PHILODRYAS AESTIVA)

Animals - Reptiles - Snakes

South American Green Racer (Philodryas olfersii)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Subphylum : Vertebrata
Class : Reptilia
Order : Squamata
Suborder : Serpentes
Family : Colubridae
Subfamily :Xenodontinae
Genus : Philodryas
Species : P. Olfersii

Description:

South American Green Racer(Philodryas olfersii) is a species of colubrid snake, endemic to South America, known also by the common names Lichtenstein's green racer, and eastern green whiptail, and in Brazil, cobra-cipó, cobra de São João, cobra-facão, cobra-verde, and mboi-obi.

The specific name, olfersii, is in honor of German naturalist Ignaz von Olfers.

It is native to much of South America, including Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, French Guiana, and Venezuela.

P. olfersii reaches 1 to 1.5 meters (about 40 to 60 inches) in maximum total length.

Dorsally, it is green in color; ventrally, it is yellowish.

The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, and are arranged in 19 rows at midbody.

It can be found in many habitat types, including the Cerrado, Caatinga, forests, forest transition, and restinga.

This species is often arboreal, but it also forages on the ground. It is diurnal, though it has been observed mating late in the evening.

Prey items include rodents, lizards, amphibians, and birds, especially nestlings. They will also eat other snakes, including ones almost as large as themselves.

The egg of the snake measures about 5 centimeters (about 2 inches). The clutch size is 4 to 11 eggs, with larger females producing more eggs than smaller ones.

Binomial Name:

Name : Philodryas olfersii
Taxonomist : Martin Hinrich Carl Lichtenstein (Hamburg - Germany)
Year : 1823
Subspecies : 3 (Herbeus, Iatirostris, Olfersii)
Synonyms : Coluber olfersii, Herpetodryas olfersii, Dryophylax olfersii, Philodryas olfersii

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Not Evaluated, or not data available

Philatelic Issues

2001 - Uruguay - Stamp 1 of 2, from Snakes Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: May 28th, 2001
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 2 Stamps
Value: UYP 11

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated