Defensive behavior of the green snake Philodryas viridissimus (Linnaeus) (Colubridae, Reptilia) from the Atlantic Forest in Northeastern Brazil

Diet and habitat use of two sympatric species of Philodryas (Colubridae), in south Brazil

“…Longer tails may be advantageous to arboreal snakes by allowing greater equilibrium and a better distribution of body mass on branches (Lillywhite and Henderson, 1993; A n u r a n s 1 2 1 1 1 4 1 1 Lizards 1 1 11 2 S e r p e n t s --3 1 Birds 5 1 6 0 M a m m a l s 7 3 8 3 Fowler and Salomão, 1994b). Within the genus Philodryas, the green species (e.g., P. aestivus, P. olfersii, P. viridissimus) frequently inhabit forests and seem to be more arboreal than the brown species of open areas (e.g., P. patagoniensis, P. nattereri, P. mattogrossensis), as indicated by their morphology (see Fowler and Salomão, 1994b;Marques, 1999;pers. obs.).…”

Body shape and diet reflect arboreality degree of five congeneric snakes sympatric in the Atlantic forest

“…The defensive repertoire shared by these snakes includes lateral flattening, gaping, gular inflation, head triangulation and elevation, and neck S‐coil (Marques et al, 2019; Muscat & Entiauspe‐Neto, 2016). This set of behaviors is typical of arboreal snakes (Greene, 1979; Marques, 1999; Martins et al, 2008). However, tail vibration is restricted to C. fuscus and C. laevicollis (Marques et al, 2019).…”

“…The defensive repertoire shared by these snakes includes lateral flattening, gaping, gular inflation, head triangulation and elevation, and neck S-coil (Marques et al, 2019;Muscat & Entiauspe-Neto, 2016). This set of behaviors is typical of arboreal snakes (Greene, 1979;Marques, 1999;Martins et al, 2008) Chironius species recorded at Serra do Mar is usually higher than in many other regions, such as in Amazonia (e.g., Bernarde & Abe, 2006;Cunha & Nascimento, 1982;Dixon & Soini, 1986;Duellman, 1978;Martins & Oliveira, 1998). The Atlantic Forest in the Serra do Mar range has great structural complexity, characterized by high abundance of epiphytes and lianas found from canopy to understory (Leitman et al, 2015;Villagra et al, 2013).…”

Squamata, Serpentes, Dipsadidae, Philodryas viridissima (Linnaeus, 1758): First record in the state of Acre, northern Brazil

“…In Brazil, it occurs in the states of Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, Mato Grosso and Maranhão (Cunha and Nascimento 1993; Silva-Jr. 1993; Martins and Oliveira 1998), as well as in the municipality of Porto Seguro, southern Bahia (Marques 1999).…”