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262 IGUANA  •  VOLUME 12, NUMBER 4  •  DECEMBER 2005 SPECIES PROFILE

The term “vinesnake” applies to several genera of long, slen-
der, usually arboreal snakes and is descriptive rather than tax-

onomic (i.e., vinesnakes look alike but are not necessarily related).
On Hispaniola, one endemic genus (Uromacer) includes three
species that share the structural characteristics of all vinesnakes,
are mostly arboreal (even sleeping coiled on the ends of branches),
and are egg-laying opisthoglyphs (rear-fanged).

Uromacer catesbyi reaches a maximum snout-vent length
(SVL) of about 0.8 m. Adults are bright green, with or without
light lateral lines; hatchlings have green heads but gray to tan bod-
ies. Although elongate, these snakes are much less slender than
their congeners. A wider head and a stouter body facilitate cap-
ture and consumption of relatively large prey, including many
treefrogs. Other prey items are invariably lizards, usually anoles.
These snakes spend most of their time in trees, but may engage in
extensive forays on the ground. Individuals employ both sit-and-
wait (for anoles) and active (for treefrogs) foraging strategies. This
species is found islandwide on Hispaniola.

Uromacer oxyrhynchus reaches a maximum SVL of about 1.5
m. Most adults are green above and tan below, but some individ-
uals are entirely green and a very few entirely tan. All possess white
lateral lines that extend almost the entire length of the body. These
snakes feed exclusively on lizards, mostly anoles, but also on
ground-dwelling Leiocephalus and Ameiva. The species is widely

distributed across the North Paleoisland (north of the Cul-de-Sac
Plaine/Valle de Neiba), although it has successfully invaded the
South Island.

Uromacer frenatus reaches a maximum SVL of a little less
than 1 m. Heads are usually green, but body color may vary from
green to gray to tan or brown. If lateral lines are present, they fade
before reaching midbody. These exceedingly elongate snakes feed
exclusively on lizards, especially anoles, but also substantial num-
bers of terrestrial Leiocephalus and Ameiva. Although largely arbo-
real, individuals may assume a sit-and-wait posture near the
ground, waiting for ground-dwelling lizards. These snakes are
widely distributed across the South Paleoisland and Île-de-la-
Gonâve.

References
Henderson, R.W., M.H. Binder, and R.A. Sajdak. 1981. Ecological rela-

tionships of the tree snakes Uromacer catesbyi and U. oxyrhynchus
(Colubridae) on Isla Saona, República Dominicana. Amphibia-
Reptilia 2:153–163.

Henderson, R.W., A. Schwartz, and T.A. Noeske-Hallin. 1987. Food
habits of three colubrid tree snakes (genus Uromacer) on
Hispaniola. Herpetologica 43:241–248.

Schwartz, A. and R.W. Henderson. 1991. Amphibians and Reptiles of the
West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History.
University of Florida Press, Gainesville.

S P E C I E S  P R O F I L E

Hispaniolan Vinesnakes
Robert Powell1 and Robert W. Henderson2

1Department of Biology, Avila University, Kansas City, Missouri
2Section of Vertebrate Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

A relatively blunt head and stout body allow Uromacer catesbyi (left) to consume large prey. The long snout, green color, and a longitu-
dinal light line to disrupt the snake's shape allow U. oxyrhynchus (center) to blend effectively into its surroundings. Very slender U. fre-
natus (right) adopts a sit-and-wait foraging pose near the ground in order to prey on terrestrial lizards.

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	Pages from Pages from Vol12No4-8.pdf
	Pages from Vol12No4-9.pdf



