Smooth green snake

Smooth green snake
Smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Opheodrys
Species:
O. vernalis
Binomial name
Opheodrys vernalis
(Harlan, 1827)
Synonyms
List
    • Coluber vernalis
      Harlan, 1827
    • Chlorosoma vernalis
      Baird & Girard, 1853
    • Herpetodryas vernalis
      Hallowell, 1856
    • Cyclophis vernalis
      Günther, 1858
    • Liopeltis vernalis
      Cope, 1860
    • Contia vernalis
      Boulenger, 1894
    • Eurypholis vernalis
      Pope, 1935
    • Liochlorophis vernalis
      Oldham & H.M. Smith, 1991
    • Opheodrys vernalis
      Wallach et al., 2014

The smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis) is a species of North American nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is also referred to as the grass snake. It is a slender, "small medium" snake that measures 36–51 cm (14–20 in) as an adult. It gets its common name from its smooth dorsal scales, as opposed to the rough green snake, which has keeled dorsal scales. The smooth green snake is found in marshes, meadows, open woods, and along stream edges, and is native to regions of Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. A non-aggressive snake, it seldom bites and usually flees when threatened. It mates in late spring to summer, and females lay their eggs from June to September. The smooth green snake will often bob its head in order to mimic vegetation blowing in the wind.