Arboreal ratsnake, Red-tailed racer, Red-tailed racer
Gonyosoma oxycephalum, known commonly as the arboreal ratsnake, the red-tailed green ratsnake, and the red-tailed racer, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.
It was first described by Friedrich Boie in 1827.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Red-tailed green ratsnake is a non-venomous robust powerful snake, with wide smooth scales on its belly that are ideal for climbing trees and across branches. It has smaller, smooth scales on its back, which are usually bright green or light green and may have a black net-like pattern. As some of its common names indicate, this snake has a green body with a red tail but is usually brown. It also has a dark line horizontally across the eye. On the sides of its black tongue, there may be a brown and blue color. The top of the head may be dark green, yellow-green, or yellow in color. There is also a gray-colored morph with a yellow head that exists in Panay, in the Philippines.
Red-tailed green ratsnakes are found in Southeast Asia. They inhabit tropical moist forests, bamboo forests, mangrove forests, shrubland, plantations, and rural gardens.
Red-tailed green ratsnakes live and spend their lives in the trees and in cavities in trees. They seldom descend to the ground. They are active during the day and prefer to spend time on their own. When Red-tailed green ratsnakes are stressed, they may inflate a bag of air in their neck, making them appear larger in size.
Red-tailed green ratsnakes are carnivores. They feed almost exclusively on birds, bird eggs, lizards, and bats which they catch in mid-air while hanging amongst branches.
Female Red-tailed reen ratsnakes lay on average between 3 and 8 eggs usually between September and January. Incubation takes from 13 to 16 weeks. When the young hatch they are about 45 cm (18 inches) long.
There are no major threats to this species at present.
According to IUCN, the Red-tailed green ratsnake is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.