Savanna vine snake

The savanna vine snake or southern vine snake (Thelotornis capensis) is a species of highly venomous snake in the family Colubridae.

Savanna vine snake
Threat display
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Thelotornis
Species:	T. capensis
Binomial name
Thelotornis capensis A. Smith, 1849

Geographic range

Thelotornis capensis is found in southern Africa.^[2]

Description

Thelotornis capensis is slender and has a long tail. The longest museum specimen is a male with a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 106 cm (42 in), a tail 62 cm (24 in) long, and a combined total length of 168 cm (66 in).^[2][3]

Reproduction

Thelotornis capensis is oviparous.^[2][3] The eggs are elongated and rather small, each measuring on average 36 mm (1.4 in) long and 16 mm (0.63 in) wide.^[2]

Subspecies

Three subspecies of T. capensis are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies.^[3]

• Thelotornis capensis capensis A. Smith, 1849
• Thelotornis capensis oatesi (Günther, 1881)
• Thelotornis capensis schilsi Derleyn, 1978

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Thelotornis.

Etymology

The subspecific name, oatesi, honors British naturalist Frank Oates.^[4]