Lamprophiidae
Olive House Snake
HarmlessBoaedon olivaceus
The Olive House Snake (Boaedon olivaceus) is a non-venomous snake in the Lamprophiidae family, recorded in 18 countries.
- Family
- Lamprophiidae
About the Olive House Snake
Boaedon olivaceus is a species of snake in the family Lamprophiidae. The species is endemic to Africa.
Taxonomic history
Eli Greenbaum and colleagues described the taxonomy of this species as being "relatively stable for over a century". Auguste Duméril described this species in 1856, making it the type species of his newly-circumscribed genus Holuropholis. Charles Eugène Aubry-Lecomte collected the holotype. The junior synonym Boodon poensis was described by Albert Günther in 1888,. George Albert Boulenger synonymized the two species, classifying it in the genus Boodon. Arthur Loveridge classified it in the genus Boaedon in 1957.
In 1974, M. C. Stucki-Stirn described a subspecies B. olivaceus stirnensis, but it was synonymized with the species itself in 2014.
Distribution
The type locality of this species is Gabon, and the type locality of its junior synonym B. poensis is Bioko.
It is found in Central and West and East Africa. Countries it has been recorded in include: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Gabon, Guinea, and Togo.
It is found in and near rainforests.
Description
Its total length is 850 mm (33 in). It has small eyes, which can be orange, red, or reddish-brown. Its dorsum is glossy and colored dark gray or a dark, greyish-brown.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Olive House Snake
- Is the Olive House Snake venomous?
- No. The Olive House Snake (Boaedon olivaceus) 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 Olive House Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Olive House Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Olive House Snake dangerous?
- The Olive House Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Olive House Snake live?
- The Olive House Snake has verified records in 18 countries, including Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Cameroon, Benin. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Lamprophiidae 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
- Lamprophiidae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Boaedon
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Boaedon olivaceus
Keep learning
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
- 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.
- 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 to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.