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Colubridae

Central American Tree Snake

Harmless

Imantodes gemmistratus

Central American Tree Snake
Imantodes gemmistratus, © Francisco Farriols Sarabia
Central American Tree SnakeCentral American Tree SnakeCentral American Tree Snake

4 photographs of the Central American Tree Snake. © Francisco Farriols Sarabia.

The Central American Tree Snake (Imantodes gemmistratus) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family.

Family
Colubridae

About the Central American Tree Snake

Imantodes gemmistratus, the Central American tree snake, is a snake species in the colubrid family, found from Mexico, through Central America and Colombia.

Distribution

Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and possibly in Belize.

Subspecies

The following subspecies are recognized:

Imantodes gemmistratus gemmistratus (Cope, 1861)

Imantodes gemmistratus gracillimus (Günther, 1895)

Imantodes gemmistratus latistratus (Cope, 1887)

Imantodes gemmistratus luciodorsus Oliver, 1942

Imantodes gemmistratus oliveri Smith, 1942

Imantodes gemmistratus reticulatus (Müller, 1882)

Imantodes gemmistratus splendidus (Günther, 1895)

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Central American Tree Snake

Is the Central American Tree Snake venomous?
No. The Central American Tree Snake (Imantodes gemmistratus) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
Is the Central American Tree Snake poisonous?
Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Central American Tree Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Central American Tree Snake dangerous?
The Central American Tree Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

More Colubridae snakes

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards
Squamata
FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits
Colubridae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
Imantodes
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
Imantodes gemmistratus

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.