Philodryas
Philodryas is a genus of colubrid snakes endemic to South America, commonly called green snakes.
Description
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.
Maxillary teeth smallest anteriorly, 12–15, followed after a gap by two large grooved fangs located just behind the posterior border of the eye.
Venom
Although colubrid snakes are usually harmless to humans, Philodryas are opisthoglyphous snakes and can give a venomous bite.Species and geographic ranges
There are 16 recognized species.- Philodryas aestiva – N Argentina, Bolivia, SE Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay - Brazilian green racer, common green racer
- Philodryas agassizii – Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay - burrowing night snake
- Philodryas arnaldoi – Brazil - Arnaldo's green race
- Philodryas baroni – N Argentina - Baron's green racer
- Philodryas boliviana Boulenger, 1896 – Bolivia - Bolivian racer
- Philodryas chamissonis – Chile - Chilean green racer, Chilean long-tailed snake
- Philodryas cordata – Venezuela
- Philodryas erlandi Lönnberg, 1902 – Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia, northern Argentina - Miranda green racer
- Philodryas livida – Brazil
- Philodryas mattogrossensis – Bolivia, SW Brazil, Paraguay - Miranda green racer
- Philodryas nattereri – WC Brazil, Paraguay - Paraguay green racer
- Philodryas olfersii – Argentina, Bolivia, W Brazil, Paraguay, E Peru, Uruguay - Lichtenstein's green racer
- Philodryas patagoniensis – Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay - Patagonia green racer
- Philodryas psammophidea – Argentina, W & S Brazil - Günther's green racer
- Philodryas trilineata – Argentina
- Philodryas varia – Argentina, Bolivia - Jan's green racer