Patagonian Racer

About the Patagonian Racer

Philodryas patagoniensis, also known as the Patagonia green racer, is a species of rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous) venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to cis-Andean South America from northern Argentina to northeastern Brazil; despite its name, most of its range is outside Patagonia.

P. patagoniensis is a medium-sized, cylindrical and robust snake, with a moderately long tail. It can grow to a maximum total length (including tail) of 150 cm (59 in). The snout is rounded. The eye is medium-sized with a round pupil. The dorsal scales are smooth with unique apical scores.

P. patagoniensis is terrestrial, fundamentally arboreal when foraging, and has daytime habits. It has a brownish color that helps in its camouflage. P. patagoniensis has sexual dimorphism in adult specimens. Females have a longer body, with greater corpulence, while males have a longer tail. Females are born with a greater rostro-cloacal length and reach sexual maturity later than males, about 2-years-old. Males can reach sexual maturity at 1-year-old. Reproduction is seasonal, with the vitellogenic season occurring between... Wikipedia →