Dendrelaphis calligastra

Dendrelaphis calligastra
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Dendrelaphis
Species:	D. calligastra
Binomial name
	Dendrelaphis calligastra; (Günther, 1867)

Dendrelaphis calligastra, also called green tree snake and northern green tree snake is a colubrid snake native to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia.^[1] It is a slender, large-eyed, nonvenomous, diurnal snake, which grows up to 1.2 m in length and is greenish, brown, or greyish above with a cream or yellow belly.^[2]

This common snake is harmless, and readily recognised due to its cream to yellow belly and pronounced wide dark facial stripe passing across the eye.^[2]^[3]

Etymology[]

Dendrelaphis: 'tree Elaphe', after another genus of colubrid snakes. calligastra: 'beautiful-bellied'.^[4]

Habitat[]

Northern tree snakes are found in tropical north Queensland, from Paluma to Cooktown and eastern Cape York Peninsula, as well as southern Papua New Guinea. They live in a wide variety of habitats, including rainforest, urban and farmed regions, and open forest. They often bask in the leaf canopy of small bushes and trees and can escape very quickly through the canopy.

Diet[]

They eat frogs and reptiles.

Distribution[]

Photo showing distinctive black stripe through eye

Dendrelaphis calligastra is common in Queensland's northern tropics and eastern Cape York Peninsula.

Breeding[]

The northern tree snake lays eggs in clutches from five to seven, with one female recorded as laying 11 eggs in January.^[3]

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Tallowin, O.; Allison, A.; O'Shea, M.; Parker, F.; Hoskin, C.; Vanderduys, E.; Amey, A.; Couper, P. & Cogger, H. (2018). "Dendrelaphis calligaster". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T116827083A1445157. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T192161A44271408.en.{{cite iucn}}: error: |doi= / |page= mismatch (help)|date= / |doi= mismatch
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Queensland Museum (2000), p. 247.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Ehmann (1992), p. 376.
^ "Reptiles Down Under – Australian Reptile Studies".

External links[]

[iucn-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Tallowin, O.; Allison, A.; O'Shea, M.; Parker, F.; Hoskin, C.; Vanderduys, E.; Amey, A.; Couper, P. & Cogger, H. (2018). "Dendrelaphis calligaster". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T116827083A1445157. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T192161A44271408.en.{{cite iucn}}: error: |doi= / |page= mismatch (help)|date= / |doi= mismatch

[Queensland_Museum_2000,_p._247-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b Queensland Museum (2000), p. 247.

[Ehmann_1992,_p._376-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b Ehmann (1992), p. 376.

[4] "Reptiles Down Under – Australian Reptile Studies".

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