''Rhamnophis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the Animal locomotion, locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. Th ...

venomous snake Venomous snakes are Species (biology), species of the Suborder (biology), suborder Snake, Serpentes that are capable of producing Snake venom, venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The v ...

s, commonly known as dagger-tooth tree snakes or large-eyed tree snakes, in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ever ...

. The genus is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to equatorial

sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...

. There are two recognized

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

Taxonomy

The status of the genus ''Rhamnophis'' has long been subject to debate, and has been treated as a

synonym A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...

of ''

Thrasops ''Thrasops'' is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 mil ...

'' by some authors. Both

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

belong to the tribe Dispholidini, and are closely related to the genera ''

Dispholidus ''Dispholidus'' is a genus of reptiles belonging to the family Colubridae.Thelotornis'', and ''

Xyelodontophis ''Xyelodontophis'' is a genus of snake in the family Colubridae that contains the sole species ''Xyelodontophis uluguruensis''. It is commonly known as the dagger-tooth vine snake. It is found in Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the ...

''.

Species

The following two species are recognized as being valid. www.reptile-database.org. *''

Rhamnophis aethiopissa The large-eyed green tree snake (''Rhamnophis aethiopissa''), also known commonly as the splendid dagger-tooth tree snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Africa. There are three recognized su ...

'' Günther, 1862 – large-eyed green tree snake, splendid dagger-tooth tree snake *''

Rhamnophis batesii The spotted dagger-tooth tree snake (''Rhamnophis batesii'') is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is indigenous to Middle Africa. Etymology The specific name, ''batesii'', is in honor of American ornithologist Ge ...

'' ( Boulenger, 1908) – spotted dagger-tooth tree snake

Venom

''Rhamnophis'' are rear-fanged colubrids; that is to say, they have venom, which they may be able to inoculate by biting. Due to very little being known about them and their venom, it is necessary to be very cautious when working with these snakes. These species have an almost identical defense mechanism as the

boomslang The boomslang (, , or ; ''Dispholidus typus'') is a large, highly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. Taxonomy and etymology Its common name means "tree snake" in Afrikaans and Dutch – ''boom'' meaning "tree", and ''slang'' meaning "sna ...

(''Dispholidus typus'') and twig snakes (genus'' Thelotornis'') in that they will inflate their throat to make themselves look bigger. It is thought that these species are evolutionary in between the boomslang and the species of the genus ''Thrasops'' in terms of their fangs and means of envenomation.

Taxonomy

Species

Venom

References

Further reading