Reptiles of North Carolina
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NC Records

Opheodrys aestivus - Rough Greensnake


Photo: Steve Hall
Photo: Steve Hall
Photo: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
Taxonomy
Class: Reptilia Order: Serpentes Family: Colubridae Subfamily: Colubrinae Other Common Name(s): Rough Green Snake
Taxonomic Comments: Opheodrys is a genus of slender, terrestrial colubrid snakes endemic to eastern and central North America. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have led to the recognition of three species, only one of which occurs in North Carolina (Blais et al., 2021; Rittmeyer et al., 2021).

The taxonomy of O. aestivus has remained largely stable over the past century (see Grobman [1984] and Walley and Plummer [2000] for further reading).
Species Comments: Opheodrys aestivus, the Rough Greensnake, is the only member of its genus found in North Carolina. It is found primarily in the southeastern United States and extreme northeastern Mexico, ranging from Texas east to the Atlantic coast, and north to southern New Jersey. The type locality of this species was restricted to Charleston, SC, by Smith and Taylor (1950).

A recent molecular phylogeographic study of O. aestivus (Rittmeyer et al., 2021) revealed fairly clear population structure between subspecies O. a. aestivus and O. a. carinatus, which is restricted to peninsular Florida; the authors elevated O. a. carinatus to species status.

Some previous authors considered the Smooth Greensnake (O. vernalis) a member of North Carolina's herpetofauna on the basis of a single specimen collected in the 1800s. Stuart et al. (2014) reviewed the history of this specimen and showed conclusively that it's locality data was not reliable; thus, no evidence exists for the distribution of O. vernalis in North Carolina.

The generic epithet Opheodrys is derived from Greek: "ophios", meaning serpent, and "drys", meaning tree, owing to the arboreal nature of these snakes. The specific epithet aestivus is Latin for "summer", likely referring this species's seasonal activity.

Taxonomic References: Grobman (1984); Walley and Plummer (2000); Rittmeyer et al. (2021)
Identification
Basis for Records: A good quality photo of the head and body is enough to identify this species.
Description: Adult Rough Greensnakes are long, slender snakes with pencil-thin bodies, rectangular heads wider than the neck, and long, thin tails. Their dorsum, including the top of the head, is entirely uniformly green. Supralabials and the underside of the head is often pale with yellow tint, and the ventral side of the body is uniformly white to cream or pale yellow. Hatchlings are typically more grayish-green than green, with whiter ventrals.

The green color of these snakes is a combination of two pigments, one yellow and one blue. In dead specimens, UV light (and/or preservatives) breaks down the yellow pigments fairly quickly, leaving only blue pigments exposed in the scales and resulting in entirely blue or blue-black specimens.
Morphological Features: Rough Greensnakes have 17 strongly keeled scale rows at midbody, usually reducing to 15 closer to the vent. Ventral counts range from 139-171 (NC specimens: 146-164; Palmer and Braswell, 1995), with 105-161 subcaudals (117-159) and a divided anal plate. Head scale counts are typically as follows: 7 supralabials, 8 infralabials, 1 nasal, 1 internasal, 1 loreal, 1 preocular, 2 postoculars, and 1+2 temporals. Palmer and Braswell (1995) noted some variation in these scalation characters across the numerous NC specimens they examined.

These are medium-sized snakes, with a maximum reported total length of 115.9 cm (45.6 inches). The tail often makes up more than one-third of the total body length (32-43%). Females generally reach larger body size than males, and males typically have more subcaudals than females, but otherwise sexual dimorphism is not obvious in the external features of this species.

Rough Greensnakes do not possess enlarged posterior teeth or any capacity to produce venom. They are harmless to humans and pets, and rarely attempt to bite. When captured, they may gape their mouths exposing its dark lining, and/or expel musk and feces.
Technical Reference: Grobman (1984); Plummer (1987); Palmer and Braswell (1995); Walley and Plummer (2000); Ernst and Ernst (2003).
Field Guide Descriptions: Beane et al. (2010).
Online Photos:    Google   iNaturalist   GBIF
Observation Methods: Rough Greensnakes are almost strictly diurnal, and are most frequently encountered terrestrially crossing roads or paths between habitats. They are arboreal and good climbers, and may be found in vegetation during they day, though they are often less conspicuous when sitting still and concealed among trees and bushes. At night, they can be found sleeping along forest edges in trees and shrubs.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution Comments: The species is found statewide in North Carolina excepting only the higher mountains; they are most common in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont. They have been recorded at elevations over 900 m in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and a specimen from Alleghany County was found at 1095 m elevation (Beane and Palmer, 2006).
Distribution Reference: Palmer and Braswell (1995); Ernst and Ernst (2003); Beane et al. (2010)
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Key Habitat Requirements
Habitat: Rough Greensnakes are mainly arboreal and appear to require shrubs, vines, or trees as habitat elements. They are associated with forests but also occur commonly along forest-field edges and in shoreline shrub thickets (Palmer and Braswell, 1995; Beane et al., 2010; Gibbons, 2017).
Biotic Relationships: Rough Greensnakes primarily consume insects and other arthropods, including: beetles (Coleoptera); damselflies and dragonflies (Odonata); mayflies (Ephemeroptera); adult and larval moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera); wood roaches (Blattodea); grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids (Orthoptera); leafhoppers (Hemiptera); mantises (Mantodea); stick insects (Phasmida); ants (Hymenoptera); flies (Diptera); spiders and harvestmen (Arachnida); isopods (Isopoda); crayfish (Decapoda); snails (Gastropoda); and millipedes (Diplopoda) (Ernst and Ernst, 2003). They have also been reported to eat frogs. Recent evidence of Greensnakes consuming adult Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) suggests they may be resistant to cardenolide toxins that the butterflies sequester as larvae while feeding on Asclepias milkweeds (Durso and Manning, 2021).

Rough Greensnakes are known prey of a variety of animals, including ophiophagous snakes, birds, domestic cats, fish, and spiders.
Life History and Autecology
Breeding and Courtship: Females reach sexual maturity between 30-40 cm SVL, or approximately two years old. Males are considered mature at about one year old, SVLs between 24.5-30 cm. Mating occurs in the Spring (March to June).
Reproductive Mode: Rough Greensnakes are oviparous and typically lay eggs in early summer (June/July) that hatch in later summer or early fall (August/September). Clutches average 5-6 white, adherent, leathery eggs ranging in length from 1.7-3.9 cm long. Clutches may be laid in communal nests; Palmer and Braswell (1976) reported one such communal nest contained 74 eggs found in a rusted refrigerator panel in New Hanover Co.

Hatchlings are 20.2 cm in total length on average and weigh 1-2 g (Ernst and Ernst, 2003).
Terrestrial Life History: Rough Greensnakes are strictly diurnal and commonly found in forests. They are semi-arboreal, and are frequently found in trees, bushes, and shrubs especially in edge habitats both during the day and at rest during the night; they will cross roads and are among the most frequent victims of vehicular traffic. They will hibernate in colder weather under stumps. Rough Greensnakes have been recorded in North Carolina in every month, but appear most active in the summer and fall; most records reported by Palmer and Braswell (1995) are from May, September, and October.

Home range estimates are not known from North Carolina. Published estimates in Arkansas suggest they have relatively small home ranges; in Arkansas home ranges were less than 65 m2 (Plummer, 1981).
General Ecology
Adverse Environmental Impacts
Status in North Carolina
NHP State Rank: S5
Global Rank: G5

Photo Gallery for Opheodrys aestivus - Rough Greensnake

31 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: R. Newman, Dalton Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. Hughes
Burke Co.
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Recorded by: R. Newman; L. Eckart
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Sanford
Camden Co.
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Recorded by: Robert Russo
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Robert Russo
Alexander Co.
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Recorded by: Robert Russo
Alexander Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Sanford
Camden Co.
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Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
New Hanover Co.
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Recorded by: Erich P. Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
Columbus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Sanford
Camden Co.
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Recorded by: Robert Russo
Catawba Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Robert Russo
Catawba Co.
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Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
Columbus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
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Recorded by: B.Fleming
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
New Hanover Co.
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Recorded by: K. Sanford
Camden Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. Jordan
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: K. Sanford
Camden Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
Columbus Co.
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Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
Craven Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
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Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
Craven Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
Craven Co.
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Recorded by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Erich Hofmann
Craven Co.
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Recorded by: Erich Hofmann
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall
Orange Co.
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