Genus · Colubridae
Types of treesnakes
2 species make up the genus Rhamnophis, the snakes commonly called treesnakes. None are considered dangerous to humans.
About African green tree snakes
A small African genus of slender, big-eyed treesnakes in the family Colubridae.
Rhamnophis is a small genus of slender, arboreal snakes in the family Colubridae, the largest and most diverse snake family worldwide. The genus contains only a couple of recognized species, including the Large-eyed Green Treesnake and the Spotted Dagger-tooth Tree Snake. They belong to the broad assemblage of African tree-dwelling colubrids that share a build suited to life off the ground.
These snakes live in tropical Africa, where they keep to forests and well-vegetated habitats. Like other members of this group, they are long and thin with notably large eyes, an adaptation tied to active, visually guided hunting by day. The slim body and long tail help them move through branches and foliage, and their coloration tends toward greens and patterns that blend with leaves. As with many obscure colubrids, the safest way to identify a Rhamnophis is by overall body type, large eyes, and African forest range rather than by relying on a single field mark.
Colubrids in this tree-snake group are typically rear-fanged, meaning any enlarged, grooved teeth sit toward the back of the upper jaw rather than at the front, and they are not considered dangerous to people. Even so, no wild snake should be handled, and a snake should never be assumed harmless on sight. Their ecology follows the common arboreal-colubrid pattern: active daytime foragers that lay eggs and feed on small prey such as lizards, frogs, and similar animals. If a bite from any snake causes worrying symptoms, treat it as a medical matter and contact US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or local emergency services.
Rhamnophis belongs to the Colubridae family (Colubrids). The largest snake family, and the one most snakes you meet belong to. Typically round pupils, a head only slightly wider than the neck, and no heat-sensing facial pit or rattle. Scales may be smooth and glossy or keeled and matte depending on the species.
Danger: Almost all colubrids are harmless. A small number are rear-fanged with medically significant venom, the boomslang and the twig (vine) snakes of Africa being the dangerous exceptions. Most colubrids will flee or bluff rather than bite.
All species (2)
Keep learning
- What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
- How Snakes Move, Hunt, and EatHow snakes move without legs, hunt as ambushers or active foragers, kill by constriction or venom, and swallow prey wider than their head.
- What Do Snakes Eat?All snakes are carnivores. Learn what snakes eat, how diet changes with size and age, how often they feed, and how they hunt and swallow prey.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.