philodryas baroni

{{speciesbox

| name = Philodryas baroni

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Cacciali, P. |author2=Giraudo, A. |author3=Scott, N. |author4=Scrocchi, G. |author5=Arzamendia, V. |date=2017 |title=Philodryas baroni |volume=2017 |page=e.T15181766A15181770 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T15181766A15181770.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}

| image = Colubridae - Philodryas baroni-001.JPG

| image_caption = Philodryas baroni

| genus = Philodryas

| species = baroni

| authority = Berg, 1895

| synonyms = *Philodryas baroni
{{small|Berg, 1895}}

Rhinodryas königi
{{small|F. Werner, 1903}}
Philodryas baroni var.
fusco-flavescens
{{small|Serié, 1915}}
Chlorosoma baroni
{{small|— Amaral, 1929}}
Philodryas baroni
{{small|— J. Peters & Orejas-Miranda, 1970}}

| synonyms_ref =

}}

Philodryas baroni, common name Baron's green racer,"Philodryas baroni ". [http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Philodryas&species=baroni The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.] is a species of rear-fanged venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to South America.

Etymology

The Latin specific name, baroni, honors Manuel Barón Morlat, who collected the first specimens.Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). [https://books.google.com/books?id=0F758vNQ0UUC&dq=Manuel+Bar%C3%B3n+Morlat&pg=PT70 The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles.] Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. (Philodryas baroni, p. 17).Berg C (1895). [https://archive.org/stream/analesdelmuseona212muse#page/n11/mode/2up "Dos reptiles neuvos descritos ".] Anales del Museo Nacional de Buenos Aires 4: 189-194. (Philodryas baroni, new species, pp. 189-191, Figure 1). (in Latin and Spanish).

Description

File:Philodryas baroni, Baron's Green Racer. (9072741542).jpg, Argentina.]]

P. baroni can reach a total length (including tail) of about {{convert|150|-|180|cm}}."Philodryas baroni ". [http://www.squamata.it/mypages/caresheetPB.html Squamata.it.]

The males are smaller than the females. The length of the tail is about 30% of the total body length. This species is the longest known in the genus Philodryas. The head is small and elongated, with an extension of the rostral scale, forming a small flexible nasal protuberance more developed in males. The coloration of the body is rather variable.[http://www.philodryas.com/indexENG.htm Philodryas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202134529/http://www.philodryas.com/indexENG.htm |date=2013-12-02 }}. Usually it is green, but there are found specimens tending to blue or brown. The pattern can be uniform or with black longitudinal stripes on the back and on the sides, on the anterior third of the body. The ventral area under the black lateral lines can be white or yellowish-white, sometimes with shades of green or blue.

Behavior

P. baroni is a strictly arboreal snake, with an intense activity during the day. It is generally non-aggressive. If it is frightened, it emits a foul-smelling substance from the cloaca.

Diet

P. baroni feeds on small rodents, small lizards, birds, and amphibians (such as arboreal frogs).{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Philodryas_baroni/ | title=Philodryas baroni (Baron's Green Racer) | website=Animal Diversity Web }}{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} Cannibalism of immature individuals by larger members of the species has also been reported.{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Philodryas_baroni/ | title=Philodryas baroni (Baron's Green Racer) | website=Animal Diversity Web }}

Venom

P. baroni is opisthoglyphous, i.e., equipped with rear fangs. It is venomous and should be treated with caution. A recent characterization of the venom of this species has shown that it has proteolytic activity, being able to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by collagen and thrombin formation. An intradermal injection in mice results in hemorrhage. When injected by the intramuscular route, it induces local effects such as hemorrhage, myonecrosis, edema and leukocyte infiltration, with a minimum hemorrhagic dose of 13.9 μg. Therefore, P. baroni must be considered dangerous to the human.{{Cite journal|author=Sánchez MN, Timoniuk A, Maruñak S, Teibler P, Acosta O, Peichoto ME|date=January 2014|title=Biochemical and biological analysis of Philodryas baroni (Baron's green racer; Dipsadidae) venom: relevance to the findings of human risk assessment |journal=Human & Experimental Toxicology|volume=33|issue=1|pages=22–31|doi=10.1177/0960327113493302|issn=1477-0903|pmid=23800999|s2cid=22303389 |doi-access=free|hdl=11336/8334|hdl-access=free}}

Geographic range

P. baroni can be found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

Habitat

P. baroni lives in forests and savannah woodlands.

Reproduction

P. baroni is oviparous.

References

External links

[https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id177179/ Biolib]
[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Philodryas_baroni/classification/ Animal Diversity]
[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=701203 ITIS]
{{NCBI taxid|120309|Philodryas baroni| }}