Common Vine Snake

Ahaetulla nasuta

Description:

The green vine snake is diurnal and mildly venomous. The reptile normally feeds on frogs and lizards using its binocular vision to hunt. They are slow moving, relying on camouflaging as a vine in foliage. The snake expands its body when disturbed to show a black and white scale marking. Also, they may open their mouth in threat display and point their head in the direction of the perceived threat. There is a widespread myth in parts of southern India, that the species uses its pointed head to blind its human victims.

Notes:

Its very difficult to find this as it almost looks like a Vine in its environment....

Species ID Suggestions

8 Comments

SujithChandran 11 years ago

Hi Anjali, This 'myth' you mentioned,
>>There is a widespread myth in parts of southern India, that the species uses its pointed head to blind its human victims<<,
may be explained by this description: {From Snakes Of India- The Field Guide, by Whitaker :
Its markedly concave shape between eye and tip of the head permits binocular vision. The habit of striking at the eye of its opponent, the only object in movement in the snake's view, is noted in the common name for the snake in Tamil, "kankothi pambu", which translates as 'eye-pecking-snake'.

Harmless. Mildly poisonous, poison resembling that of the cobra as far as the symptoms r concerned. In man, the poison usually has no effect. But occassionally, swelling and numbness of the bitten area may result.

An elegant snake with a wonderful turn of speed over foliage, the slender and light body is capable of obtaining support from the minutest twig and twining stem.
It is diurnal, usually reclines on the topmost boughs of bushes and escapes notice by its cryptic colouration.
}