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Philothamnus hoplogaster (Green water snake, South
eastern green snake)
Groenwaterslang; Suidoostelike groenslang [Afrikaans];
Umhlwazi [Xhosa]
Life >
Eukaryotes
>
Opisthokonta >
Metazoa
(animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia >
Chordata >
Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates) > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) >
Teleostomi (teleost fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class:
Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) > Stegocephalia (terrestrial vertebrates) >
Tetrapoda
(four-legged vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota >
Reptilia (reptiles) >
Romeriida > Diapsida > Lepidosauromorpha > Lepidosauria >
Squamata > Serpentes
(snakes) > Family: Colubridae > Subfamily:
Colubrinae > Genus:
Philothamnus
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Philothamnus hoplogaster (Green water snake, South
eastern green snake), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. [P. Havemann ©, from
SARCA Virtual Museum] |
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Philothamnus hoplogaster (Green water snake, South
eastern green snake), Mpumalanga, South Africa. [M Douglas ©, from
SARCA Virtual Museum] |
Philothamnus hoplogaster (Green water snake, South
eastern green snake), Mpumalanga, South Africa. [M. Douglas, KwaZulu-Natal ©, from
SARCA Virtual Museum] |
Identification
The Green water snake can be identified by its round
pupils, a white or yellow underside, a particularly good swimming and tree
climbing ability and a diurnal lifestyle. It grows to an average length of 60 cm
and a maximum length of 1 meter.
Distribution and habitat
Found throughout Zimbabwe, central
and southern Mozambique, eastern South Africa and the Eastern Cape coast. It is
found in a variety of habitats but is particularly common in moist savanna.
Food
Eats
frogs, fish,
lizards and possibly
grasshoppers.
Predators, parasites and disease
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying), lays between 3 and 8 eggs in
summer.
Longevity
Likely to have an average lifespan of
10 years.
Medical importance
Non-venomous and not dangerous to man.
Links
References
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Broadley, D.G. 1983. FitzSimons' Snakes of Southern
Africa. Delta Books, Johannesburg.
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Marais, J. 2004. A Complete Guide to Snakes of Southern Africa.
Struik Publishing, Cape Town.
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