Rainforest reminiscences 4: The emerald palm snake

Green snakes can be hard to find against the verdure of the forest canopy. This has definitely been the case with this taxon, the emerald palm snake, Philodryas viridissimus.

In 20 years of searching, I have not had one in hand and have only see a single sleeping example that I thought to be of this species. It was high in a tree and sped into the darkness (probably unhappily so, since they seem to be diurnal) when I tried to climb the tree.

This beautiful snake is adult at 3 feet in length. It feeds on lizards, frogs, nestling birds and small mammals. An opisthoglyphid species, it has enlarged rear teeth, a relatively potent venom, and is not hesitant to bite if carelessly restrained. Both gender are deep green above, a bit lighter ventrally, and have a white to pale green chin and throat. Males have a blue face.

Author, photographer, and columnist Richard Bartlett is one of the most prolific writers on herpetological subjects in the 20th century. With hundreds of books and articles to their credit, Richard and his wife Pat have spent over four decades documenting reptiles both in the field and in captivity. For a list of their current titles, please visit their page in our bookstore.