Ahaetulla nasuta


Ahaetulla nasuta, also known as common vine snake and long-nosed whip snake, is a slender green tree snake found in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
It is not to be confused with Oxybelis fulgidus, "green vine snake" found in Central and South America. In Tamil, it is known as pachai paambu, In Marathi, it is known as shelati snake, In Malayalam it is known as pachila paambu,In Kannada it is known as Hasiru Haavu among dozens of other vernacular names.

Description

The green vine snake is diurnal and mildly venomous. This arboreal snake 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. They are the only species of snake with horizontal pupils, compared to the normal vertical slit pupils found in many species of viper.
The name Ahaetulla in Sinhala means 'eye plucker'. It earned this name, and similar ones in Tamil and Indian vernaculars, due to the mistaken belief that it strikes at the eyes.
The species is viviparous, giving birth to young that grow within the body of the mother, enclosed within the egg membrane. They may be capable of delayed fertilization as a female in the London zoo kept in isolation from August, 1885 gave birth in August, 1888.

Taxonomic description

The following description with diagnostic characters is from Boulenger :
Formerly treated as a subspecies Ahaetulla nasuta anomala is now regarded as a distinct species, Ahaetulla anomala.

Habitat

Found in low bushes, shrubs and trees in lowland forest terrain at elevations up to about 1000 metres, particularly near streams and often found near human settlements.

Venom and its effects

The ingredients of the venom are unknown. The venom is moderately potent and can cause swelling, pain, bruising, numbness and other local symptoms, which will subside within three days. Bites close to the head, eyes and other vital areas could be severe.

Vernacular names