Philothamnus battersbyi

{{speciesbox

| genus = Philothamnus

| image = Battersby's green snake.jpg

| image_caption = adult

| image2 = Philothamnus battersbyi juvenile.jpg

| image2_caption = juvenile

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = Howell K, Msuya CA, Ngalason W (2021). "Philothamnus battersbyi ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T20878682A20878687.en. Accessed on 29 December 2022.

| species = battersbyi

| authority = Loveridge, 1951

| synonyms = *Philothamnus irregularis battersbyi
{{small|Loveridge, 1951}}

Philothamnus battersbyi
{{small|— Rasmussen, 1981}}

| synonyms_ref =

}}

Philothamnus battersbyi, also known commonly as Battersby's green snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to northeastern Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, battersbyi, is in honor of British herpetologist James Clarence Battersby (1901–1993).Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. (Philothamnus battersbyi, p. 19).

Geographic range

P. battersbyi is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.{{NRDB species|genus=Philothamnus|species=battersbyi|accessdate=2020-06-06}}

Habitat

P. battersbyi is found in a variety of natural habitats close to water, including forest, savanna, grassland, and freshwater wetlands, at altitudes from sea level to {{cvt|2,600|m|ft}}. It has also been found in polluted streams in major cities.

Description

The holotype of P. battersbyi, an adult female, has a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of {{convert|76.2|cm|in|abbr=on}} and a tail length of {{convert|28.3|cm|in}}.Loveridge (1951).

Behavior

P. battersbyi is arboreal and diurnal.

Diet

P. battersbyi preys upon amphibians, which may include caecilians, frogs, and toads.

Reproduction

P. battersbyi is oviparous. Clutch size is 3–11 eggs. Some communal nesting has been observed, with as many as 40 adult females laying over 100 eggs together in one nest.