Savanna vine snake


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

Geographic range

Thelotornis capensis is found in southern Africa.

Description

Thelotornis capensis is slender and has a long tail. The longest museum specimen is a male with a snout-to-vent length of, a tail long, and a combined total length of.

Reproduction

Thelotornis capensis is oviparous. The eggs are elongated and rather small, each measuring on average long and wide.

Subspecies

Three subspecies of T. capensis are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies.
  • Thelotornis capensis capensis
  • Thelotornis capensis oatesi
  • Thelotornis capensis schilsi
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Thelotornis.

Etymology

The subspecific name, oatesi, honors British naturalist Frank Oates.