Forest vine snake

Last updated

Forest vine snake
Bonn zoological bulletin - Thelotornis kirtlandii.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Thelotornis
Species:
T. kirtlandii
Binomial name
Thelotornis kirtlandii
(Hallowell, 1844)
Synonyms [2]
List
  • Leptophis kirtlandiiHallowell, 1844
  • Dryophis kirtlandiiHallowell, 1854
  • Oxybelis kirtlandiiHallowell, 1857
  • Thelotornis kirtlandii Fischer, 1884

The forest vine snake (Thelotornis kirtlandii), also known commonly as the twig snake and the bird snake (as are other members of the genus Thelotornis), is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Africa.

Contents

Taxonomy

The specific name, kirtlandii, is in honor of American naturalist Jared Potter Kirtland. [3]

Distribution and habitat

T. kirtlandii is found in Sub-Saharan Africa, south to a latitude of about 17° S. It has been recorded from Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. [2]

Behaviour and ecology

T. kirtlandii is known to eat small birds.

T. kirtlandii is oviparous. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twig snake</span> Genus of snakes

The twig snakes, also commonly known as bird snakes or vine snakes, are a genus of rear-fanged venomous snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is native to Africa. All species in the genus have a slender and elongated profile, a long tail, a narrow head and a pointed snout. The eye of all species has a horizontal pupil, shaped like a keyhole, which gives twig snakes binocular vision. Twig snakes are greyish-brown with faint light and dark markings. When threatened, they inflate the throat to display bold black markings between the scales. Twig snake bites are potentially deadly: the venom is hemotoxic, affecting the blood clotting mechanism and causing uncontrolled bleeding and internal hemorrhaging. Bites by twig snakes have caused death in humans; famous herpetologist Robert Mertens died after being bitten by his pet savanna vine snake. However, envenomed bites are extremely rare when not handling the snake, as the fangs can't breach the skin except in a few places like the web between the thumb and fingers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirtland's snake</span> Species of snake

Kirtland's snake is a threatened or endangered North American species of nonvenomous snake of the subfamily Natricinae, of the family Colubridae. It is the only species in the genus Clonophis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goldie's tree cobra</span> Species of snake

Goldie's tree cobra, also known commonly as the African tree cobra and as Gold's tree cobra, is a species of venomous tree cobra in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Central and Western Africa. This species is one of the two tree cobras in Africa, the other being the black tree cobra. Goldie's tree cobra is one of the most venomous snakes and creatures in Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forest cobra</span> Species of snake

The forest cobra, also commonly called the black cobra and the black and white-lipped cobra, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Africa, mostly the central and western parts of the continent. It is the largest true cobra species with a record length of 3.2 metres.

Chilorhinophis gerardi, commonly known as the Congo two-headed snake, Gerard's black and yellow burrowing snake, and Gerard's two-headed snake, is a species of mildly venomous snake in the family Atractaspididae. The species is endemic to Africa.

<i>Polemon bocourti</i> Species of snake

Polemon bocourti, or Bocourt's snake-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the subfamily Aparallactinae of the family Atractaspididae. The species is endemic to Central Africa.

The St. Thomas beaked snake is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is native to the Gulf of Guinea off the western coast of Central Africa.

Letheobia graueri, also known commonly as the Lake Tanganyika gracile blind snake, Grauer's gracile blind snake, Sternfeld's beaked snake, and Grauer's blind snake, is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is endemic to central and eastern Africa.

Fred Parker's blindsnake is a species of snake in the family Gerrhopilidae. The species is native to New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large-eyed green tree snake</span> Species of snake

The large-eyed green tree snake, also known commonly as the splendid dagger-tooth tree snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Africa. There are three recognized subspecies.

The spotted dagger-tooth tree snake is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is indigenous to Middle Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savanna vine snake</span> Species of snake

The savanna vine snake is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern vine snake</span> Species of snake

The eastern vine snake, also known commonly as the eastern twig snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Eastern Africa

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olive marsh snake</span> Species of snake

The olive marsh snake is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D'Albertis python</span> Species of snake

D'Albertis' python, also known commonly as D'Albert's water python or the northern white-lipped python, is a species of python, a non-venomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is endemic to New Guinea. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.

<i>Toxicodryas blandingii</i> Species of snake

Toxicodryas blandingii, commonly known as Blanding's cat snake and Blanding's tree snake, is a species of rear-fanged venomous snake of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.

<i>Toxicodryas pulverulenta</i> Species of snake

Toxicodryas pulverulenta, commonly known as Fischer's cat snake, Fischer's tree snake, and the powdered tree snake, is a species of rear-fanged venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Philothamnus girardi, also known commonly as the Annobon wood snake and Girard's green snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to Central Africa.

Schouteden's sun snake is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species, which is monotypic in the genus Helophis, is endemic to Central Africa.

Dasypeltis gansi, commonly known as Gans's egg-eater or Gans' egg-eating snake, is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to West Africa.

References

  1. Trape, J.-F.; Luiselli, L.; Penner, J.; Rödel, M.-O.; Segniagbeto, G.; Wagner, P.; Branch, W.R.; Safari, I.; Chenga, J. (2021). "Thelotornis kirtlandii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T13265657A13265670. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T13265657A13265670.en . Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Thelotornis kirtlandii ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. ("Thelotornis kirtlandi [sic]", p. 142).

Further reading