Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
(C)
(D)
Plate 4.34
(
Continued
)
(A) Brown vine snake or Mexican vine snake; Bejuquilla Parda
(
Oxybelis aeneus
).
This slender arboreal snake reaches up to 1.5 m in length, and is found
from southern Arizona in the USA down through Mexico, Central America, and into northern
South America. Its preferred prey is lizards, but also accepts frogs and birds. Bites by this
species cause only mild local effects.
(B-D) Green vine snake (
Oxybelis fulgidus
).
This arboreal snake is a long (it may attain
1.5-2.0 m body length), slender, arboreal species, native to Central and South America.
It typically will grasp its prey (primarily lizards and birds) with a protracted grip prior to
deglutition. Some limited observations suggest that birds are relatively rapidly subjugated with
such a protracted grip, while grasped lizards appear less affected, and require a longer period
of time for immobilization. Human victims who are bitten by this species experience only
mild local effects.
Plate 4.34A and D, photos copyright to Julian White; Plate 4.34B and C, photos copyright to
Maik Dobiey.
(A)
(B)
Plate 4.35
False-coral snakes, genus
Oxyrhopus
.
Several genera of non-front-fanged
colubroids are known by this common name as they are all Batesian mimics of various
species of the elapid genus,
Micrurus
(see
Table 4.1
)
.
Retrospective studies of snakebites in
Brazil have reported mild-to-moderate local effects from bites by the xenodontine dipsadids,
Oxyrhopus
spp., although specifically verified identity is lacking in a number of these cases.
(A) Brazilian false-coral snake; boicora; cobra-coral, others (
Oxyrhopus trigeminus
),
Northeastern Brazil.
(B) Dumeril's false-coral snake; falsa coral serrana; falsa coral laranja, others
(
Oxyrhopus clathratus
), Juquitiba, Brazil.
