Rough Green Snake

About the Rough Green Snake

Opheodrys aestivus, commonly known as the rough green snake, is a species of nonvenomous North American snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is sometimes called grass snake or green grass snake, but these names are more commonly applied to the smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis). The European colubrid called grass snake (Natrix natrix) is not closely related. The rough green snake is docile, often allowing close approach by humans, and rarely bites. Even when bites occur, they have no venom and are harmless.

The rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus) is bright green above and has a yellowish belly, affording it excellent camouflage in green vegetation and making it difficult to see in the wild even though it is relatively common in its habitat. It has keeled dorsal scales, which are arranged in 17 rows at mid-body. It grows up to 116 cm (45+3⁄4 in) in total length (tail included) and is very thin.

The specific name, aestivus, is Latin for "summer" in reference to the species' green dorsal color. The generic name, Opheodrys, is derived from Greek ophios, meaning "serpent", and drys, "tree". Wikipedia →