Dendrelaphis calligaster

Dendrelaphis calligaster, also called green tree snake, northern green tree-snake, and northern tree snake, is a colubrid snake native to New Guinea, Australia,^[1][2] and Solomon Islands.^[2] It is a slender, large-eyed, non-venomous, diurnal snake, which grows up to 1.2 m in length and is greenish, brown, or greyish above with a cream or yellow belly.^[3]

Dendrelaphis calligaster
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Ahaetuliinae
Genus:	Dendrelaphis
Species:	D. calligaster
Binomial name
Dendrelaphis calligaster (Günther, 1867)
Synonyms[2]
Dendrophis calligastra Günther, 1867 Dendrophis salomonis Günther, 1872 Dendrophis aruensis Doria, 1874 Dendrophis katowensis Macleay, 1877 Dendrophis darnleyensis Macleay, 1877 Dendrelaphis papuensis Boulenger, 1895 Dendrelaphis schlenckeri Ogilby, 1898 Dendrophis calligastra keiensis Mertens, 1926 Dendrophis calligastra distinguendus Meise & Hennig, 1932

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.^[3][4]

Etymology

The specific name calligaster means "beautiful-bellied".^[2][5]

Distribution and habitat

Photo showing distinctive black stripe through eye

In Australia, Dendrelaphis calligaster are found on the eastern side of the Cape York Peninsula (Queensland) as far south as Mackay. On the western side, their range is poorly mapped. They also occur on many of the Torres Strait Islands. On the New Guinea mainland, they are widespread at elevations below 1,150 m (3,770 ft) in both Indonesian and Papua New Guinean parts of the island. They occur also on many nearby islands.^[1] The Reptile Database also lists this species from the Solomons.^[2]

Dendrelaphis calligaster is primarily arboreal but can also forage on the ground. It can be found in rainforest, mangroves, dense secondary regrowth, and tropical woodlands. It is abundant throughout its range.^[1]

Behaviour and ecology

They eat frogs and reptiles.^[1]

Breeding

The northern tree snake lays five to seven eggs in clutches, with one female recorded as laying 11 eggs in January.^[4]