Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: October 31st, 2023.
 
|
Genus
Philothamnus
 |
African Green Snakes, African Bush Snakes
|
 |
Grüne Buschnattern, Grüne Buschschlangen
|
 |
Grønne Busksnoge, Grønne Træsnoge
|
|
1847 |  |
Philothamnus Smith (type species: Dendrophis semivariegata Smith 1840) |
|
1857 | |
Chlorophis Hallowell (type species: Chlorophis heterodermus Hallowell 1857; syn. Williams & Wallach 1989) |
|
1866 | |
Herpetaethiops Günther (type species: Herpetaethiops bellii = Chlorophis heterodermus Hallowell 1857) |
|
1868 | |
Chlorophis Theobald [not Chlorophis Hallowell 1857] (type species: Chlorophis oldhami Theobald 1868) |
|
1895 | |
Oligolepis Boulenger (type species: Oligolepis macrops Boulenger 1895) |
Contents:
27 species, of which 2 (7.4%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0%  100%
Distribution:
SubSaharan Africa.
Reported from:
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Benin,
Botswana,
Burkina Faso,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Equatorial Guinea
(Annobon,
Bioko,
Rio Muni),
Eritrea,
Eswatini,
Ethiopia,
Gabon,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau
(incl.
Bijagos Archipelago),
Ivory Coast,
Kenya,
Liberia,
Malawi,
Mali,
Mozambique
(incl.
Bazaruto Archipelago),
Namibia,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Rwanda,
Sao Tome & Principe
(Sao Tome),
Senegal,
Sierra Leone,
Somalia,
South Africa
(Eastern Cape,
Free State,
Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga,
North West Province,
Northern Cape,
Western Cape),
South Sudan,
Sudan,
Tanzania
(incl.
Mafia,
Pemba,
Zanzibar),
Togo,
Uganda,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
| |
|
Philothamnus angolensis
|
Angolan Green Snake, Western Green Snake
|
|
Angolische Buschnatter
|
|
Angolansk Busksnog
|
|
1882 | |
Philothamnus angolensis Bocage |
|
| |
Chlorophis angolensis Boulenger 1894 |
|
1888 | |
Ahaetulla emini Günther (Broadley 1983) |
|
| |
Chlorophis emini Werner 1908 |
|
1888 | |
Ahaetulla shirana Günther (Broadley 1983) |
|
| |
Philothamnus irregularis shiranus Laurent 1964 |
|
1932 | |
Chlorophis vernayi Fitzsimons (Broadley 1983) |
Remarks:
Previously confused with and regarded as a synonym of irregularis of West Africa (e.g., Loveridge 1957).
Revalidated as a separate species by Hughes (1985).
Records from Senegal (e.g., Hughes 1983) are probably based on mislabelled specimens with wrong locality data (Trape & Mané 2006a).
Distribution:
Angola,
Botswana,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Malawi,
Mozambique,
Namibia,
Rwanda,
South Africa
(KwaZulu-Natal),
South Sudan,
Sudan,
Tanzania,
Uganda,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Philothamnus battersbyi
|
Northeastern Green Snake, Common Green Snake, Green Bush Snake, (Battersby's Green Snake, Green Water Snake)
|
|
Nordöstliche Buschnatter
|
|
Nordøstlig Busksnog
|
|
1951 | |
Philothamnus irregularis battersbyi Loveridge |
|
| |
Philothamnus battersbyi Rasmussen 1981 |
Remarks:
Chippaux & Jackson (2019) included Sudan in the distribution, but no other references have been found to support the presence of the species in Sudan.
Distribution:
Burundi,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Rwanda,
Somalia,
Tanzania,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Philothamnus bellii
|
Sierra Leonean Green Snake
|
|
Sierraleonische Buschnatter
|
|
Sierraleonsk Busksnog
|
|
1866 | |
Herpetaethiops bellii Günther |
|
| |
Philothamnus bellii Trape & Baldé 2014 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym of heterodermus (e.g., Loveridge 1958). Revalidated as a separate species by Trape & Baldé (2014).
Distribution:
Guinea,
Liberia,
Sierra Leone.
|
|
|
Philothamnus bequaerti
|
Uganda Green Snake, (Bequaert's Green Snake)
|
|
Uganda-Buschnatter
|
|
Uganda-busksnog
|
|
1923 | |
Chlorophis bequaerti Schmidt |
|
| |
Philothamnus bequaerti Hughes 1985 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym of heterolepidotus (e.g., Loveridge 1957).
Distribution:
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Ethiopia,
South Sudan,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Philothamnus bocagii
|
Bocage's Green Snake
|
|
Bocages Buschnatter
|
|
Bocages Busksnog
|
|
1888 | |
Ahaetulla bocagii Günther |
|
| |
Philothamnus bocagii Trape & Collet 2021 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym of semivariegatus (e.g., Broadley 1983).
Revalidated as a separate species by Trape & Collet (2021).
Distribution:
Angola,
Congo-Kinshasa.
|
|
|
Philothamnus brunneus
|
Brown Bush Snake
|
|
Braune Buschnatter
|
|
Brun Busksnog
|
|
2021 | |
Philothamnus brunneus Trape, Hughes, Collet & Mediannikov |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a population of carinatus.
Records of carinatus from Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Liberia are tentatively referred to brunneus, although it has not yet been confirmed from Ivory Coast.
Records of carinatus from Ghana to Nigeria need further studies as they may represent brunneus.
Distribution:
Ghana,
Guinea,
Ivory Coast,
Liberia,
Sierra Leone.
|
|
|
Philothamnus carinatus
|
Western Barred Green Snake, Grey Bush Snake, (Strange-scaled Green Snake, Thirteen-scaled Green Snake)
|
|
Westliche Gebänderte Buschnatter
|
|
Vestlig Båndet Busksnog
|
|
1901 | |
Chlorophis carinatus Andersson |
|
| |
Philothamnus heterodermus carinatus Loveridge 1951 |
|
| |
Chlorophis heterodermus carinatus Mertens 1965 |
|
| |
Philothamnus carinatus Hughes 1985 |
Remarks:
Previously included the populations now assigned to brunneus and chifunderai.
Records from Angola, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and most records from Congo-Kinshasa refer to chifunderai.
Older records from Ghana to Nigeria are disregarded herein, as they may represent brunneus.
Distribution:
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Equatorial Guinea
(Bioko,
Rio Muni),
Gabon,
Nigeria.
|
|
|
Philothamnus chifunderai
|
Eastern Barred Green Snake, (Chifundera's Green Snake)
|
|
Östliche Gebänderte Buschnatter
|
|
Østlig Båndet Busksnog
|
|
2023 | |
Philothamnus chifunderai Greenbaum, Pauwels, Gvozdík, Vaughan, Chaney, Buontempo, Aristote, Muninga & Engelbrecht |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a population of carinatus.
Distribution:
Angola,
Burundi,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Kenya,
Rwanda,
Tanzania,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Philothamnus dorsalis
|
Brown-snouted Green Snake, Stripe-backed Bush Snake, Striped Green Snake, Striped Wood Snake
|
|
Braunschnauzen-Buschnatter
|
|
Brunsnudet Busksnog
|
|
1866 | |
Leptophis dorsalis Bocage |
|
| |
Philothamnus dorsalis Boulenger 1894 |
|
| |
Philothamnus semivariegatus dorsalis Loveridge 1933 |
Remarks:
Regarded as a subspecies of semivariegatus by Griffin (2003).
Distribution:
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Cameroon,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Gabon.
|
|
|
Philothamnus girardi
|
Annobon Green Snake, Pagalu Wood Snake
|
|
Annobon-Buschnatter
|
|
Annobon-busksnog
|
|
1893 | |
Philothamnus girardi Bocage |
|
| |
Philothamnus semivariegatus girardi Mertens 1934 |
Distribution:
Equatorial Guinea
(Annobon).
|
|
|
Philothamnus heterodermus
|
Emerald Green Snake, Forest Green Snake, Variable Tree Snake, Variable Green Snake, Gabon Bush Snake
|
|
Smaragd-Buschnatter
|
|
Smaragd-busksnog
|
|
1857 | |
Chlorophis heterodermus Hallowell |
|
| |
Ahaetulla heteroderma Günther 1863 |
|
| |
Philothamnus heterodermus Peters 1875 |
|
1929 | |
Chlorophis cyaneus Hallowell (Loveridge 1958) |
Remarks:
Previously included bellii and pobeguini, as well as the populations now assigned to mayombensis.
Distribution:
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Benin,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Equatorial Guinea
(Rio Muni),
Gabon,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau
(incl.
Bijagos Archipelago),
Ivory Coast,
Liberia,
Nigeria,
Sierra Leone,
South Sudan,
Tanzania,
Togo,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Philothamnus heterolepidotus
|
Slender Green Snake, (Strange-scaled Green Snake)
|
|
Schlanke Buschnatter
|
|
Slank Busksnog
|
|
1863 | |
Ahaetulla heterolepidota Günther |
|
| |
Leptophis heterolepidota Bocage 1866 |
|
| |
Philothamnus heterolepidotus Pfeffer 1893 |
|
| |
Chlorophis heterolepidotus Boulenger 1894 |
|
1888 | |
Ahaetulla gracillima Günther (Loveridge 1957) |
|
1910 | |
Chlorophis gracilis Sternfeld (Loveridge 1957) |
|
1912 | |
Chlorophis schubotzi Sternfeld (Loveridge 1957) |
Remarks:
Previously included bequaerti.
Formerly regarded as a synonym of irregularis (e.g., Bogert 1940).
Revalidated by Loveridge (1955).
A single record from Khartoum, Sudan, is probably an introduction (Loveridge 1958).
Introduced to:
Sudan.
Distribution:
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Benin,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Ethiopia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau,
Ivory Coast,
Kenya,
Mozambique,
Nigeria,
Rwanda,
Sierra Leone,
South Sudan,
Tanzania,
Uganda,
Zambia.
|
|
|
Philothamnus hoplogaster
|
Southeastern Green Snake, Short-tailed Green Snake, (Green Water Snake)
|
|
Südöstlicher Buschnatter
|
|
Sydøstlig Busksnog
|
|
1863 | |
Ahaetulla hoplogaster Günther |
|
| |
Philothamnus hoplogaster Boulenger 1887 |
|
| |
Chlorophis hoplogaster Boulenger 1894 |
|
1866 | |
Philothamnus neglectus Peters (Broadley 1983) |
|
| |
Chlorophis neglectus Boulenger 1894 |
|
1868 | |
Chlorophis oldhami Theobald (Broadley 1983) |
Remarks:
Previously included the population now assigned to hughesi (Trape & Roux-Estève 1990).
Populations from the Central African Republic refer to hughesi (Chirio & Ineich 2006).
Chippaux & Jackson (2019) included Cameroon in the distribution, but no localities in the country were shown in their map.
No other references have been found to support the presence of the species in Cameroon.
Distribution:
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Burundi,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Eswatini,
Kenya,
Malawi,
Mozambique,
Namibia,
Rwanda,
South Africa
(Eastern Cape,
Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga,
North West Province,
Western Cape),
South Sudan,
Tanzania,
Uganda,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Philothamnus hughesi
|
Congolese Green Snake, (Hughes' Green Snake)
|
|
Kongolesische Buschnatter
|
|
Congolesisk Busksnog
|
|
1990 | |
Philothamnus hughesi Trape & Roux-Esteve |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a population of hoplogaster (Trape & Roux-Estève 1990).
Distribution:
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Gabon,
South Sudan,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Philothamnus irregularis
|
Irregular Green Snake, Western Green Snake, (Emin's Green Snake)
|
|
Westliche Buschnatter
|
|
Vestlig Busksnog
|
|
1818 | |
Coluber caesius Cloquet [suppressed; ICZN (1955): Opinion 328] |
|
1819 | |
Coluber irregularis Leach [not Coluber irregularis Merrem 1790] (conservation proposed; see Meirte 2013) |
|
| |
Philothamnus irregularis Buchholz & Peters 1875 |
|
| |
Chlorophis irregularis Boulenger 1894 |
|
1843 | |
Dendrophis chenonii Reinhardt (Loveridge 1957) |
|
| |
Leptophis chenonii Duméril, Bibron & Duméril 1854 |
|
1848 | |
Dendrophis albo-variata Smith (Loveridge 1957) |
|
1875 | |
Philothamnus irregularis longifrenatus Buchholz & Peters (Loveridge 1957) |
|
1893 | |
Philothamnus güntheri Pfeffer (Loveridge 1957) |
Remarks:
Now restricted to West Africa (Hughes 1985).
Previously included angolensis, however, some authors still confuse the two species (Branch 2018).
Southern populations, previously treated as irregularis, are now referred to angolensis (Hughes 1985; Branch 2018).
Distribution:
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau,
Ivory Coast,
Liberia,
Mali,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Senegal,
Sierra Leone,
Togo.
|
|
|
Philothamnus macrops
|
Usambara Green Snake
|
|
Usambara-Buschnatter
|
|
Usambara-busksnog
|
|
1895 | |
Oligolepis macrops Boulenger |
|
| |
Chlorophis macrops Barbour & Loveridge 1928 |
|
| |
Philothamnus macrops Loveridge 1957 |
Distribution:
Kenya,
Mozambique,
Tanzania
(Zanzibar).
|
|
|
Philothamnus mayombensis
|
Mayombe Green Snake, Mayombe Bush Snake
|
|
Mayombe-Buschnatter
|
|
Mayombe-busksnog
|
|
2021 | |
Philothamnus mayombensis Trape, Collet, Hughes & Mediannikov in Trape, Hughes, Collet & Mediannikov |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a population of heterodermus.
Distribution:
Angola
(Cabinda),
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa.
|
|
|
Philothamnus natalensis
|
Eastern Natal Green Snake, Eastern Green Snake
|
|
Östliche Natal-Buschnatter
|
|
Østlig Natal-busksnog
|
|
1848 | |
Dendrophis natalensis Smith |
|
| |
Chlorophis natalensis FitzSimons 1937 |
|
| |
Philothamnus natalensis FitzSimons 1962 |
|
1863 | |
Dendrophis subcarinatus Jan (status uncertain; Broadley 1983) |
Remarks:
Previously included occidentalis.
Distribution:
Eswatini,
Mozambique
(incl.
Bazaruto Archipelago),
South Africa
(KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga),
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Philothamnus nitidus
|
Cameroon Green Snake, Cameroon Bush Snake, Shiny Forest Green Snake, Cameroon Wood Snake
|
|
Kamerunische Buschnatter
|
|
Camerounsk Busksnog
|
|
1863 | |
Ahaetulla nitida Günther |
|
| |
Philothamnus nitidus Boulenger 1894 |
|
| |
Philothamnus semivariegatus nitidus Mertens 1965 |
|
1960 | |
Philothamnus nitidus loveridgei Laurent |
Other common names:
loveridgei: Loveridge's Green Snake
Distribution:
Angola,
Benin,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Equatorial Guinea
(Bioko,
Rio Muni),
Gabon,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Ivory Coast,
Kenya,
Liberia,
Nigeria,
Rwanda,
Sierra Leone,
Togo,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Philothamnus occidentalis
|
Western Natal Green Snake
|
|
Westliche Natal-Buschnatter
|
|
Vestlig Natal-busksnog
|
|
1966 | |
Philothamnus natalensis occidentalis Broadley |
|
| |
Philothamnus occidentalis Griffin 2003 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a subspecies of natalensis.
Alexander (1987) suggested occidentalis to be regarded as a separate species, which was followed by Griffin (2003).
Validity confirmed by Engelbrecht, Branch, Greenbaum, Alexander, Jackson, Burger, Conradie, Kusamba, Zassi-Boulou & Tolley (2018).
There is a single record from Zimbabwe (Broadley & Blaylock 2013), however, Bates, Branch, Bauer, Burger, Marais, Alexander & Villiers (2014) claims that the
species is restricted to South Africa and Eswatini.
Distribution:
Eswatini,
South Africa
(Eastern Cape,
Free State,
Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga,
North West Province,
Western Cape),
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Philothamnus ornatus
|
Ornate Green Snake, Ornate Water Snake, Stripe-backed Green Snake
|
|
Pracht-Buschnatter
|
|
Pragt-busksnog
|
|
1872 | |
Philothamnus ornatus Bocage |
|
| |
Chlorophis ornatus Boulenger 1894 |
|
| |
Philothamnus irregularis ornatus Loveridge 1951 |
Distribution:
Angola,
Botswana,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Malawi,
Namibia,
Tanzania,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Philothamnus pobeguini
|
Guinean Green Snake
|
|
Guinea-Buschnatter
|
|
Guinea-busksnog
|
|
1916 | |
Chlorophis heterodermus pobeguini Chabanaud |
|
| |
Philothamnus pobeguini Trape & Baldé 2014 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym of heterodermus (e.g., Loveridge 1958). Revalidated as a separate species by Trape & Baldé (2014).
Distribution:
Benin,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau,
Ivory Coast.
|
|
|
Philothamnus punctatus
|
Speckled Green Snake, (Spotted Bush Snake, Spotted Green Snake)
|
|
Gesprenkelte Buschnatter
|
|
Spættet Busksnog
|
|
1866 | |
Philothamnus punctatus Peters |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym of semivariegatus (e.g., Loveridge 1957).
Distribution:
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Malawi,
Mozambique,
Somalia,
Tanzania
(incl.
Mafia,
Pemba,
Zanzibar).
|
|
|
Philothamnus ruandae
|
Rwanda Emerald Green Snake, Rwanda Forest Green Snake
|
|
Rwanda-Buschnatter
|
|
Rwanda-busksnog
|
|
1951 | |
Philothamnus heterodermus ruandae Loveridge |
|
| |
Philothamnus ruandae Broadley 1998 |
Distribution:
Burundi,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Rwanda,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Philothamnus semivariegatus
|
Variegated Bush Snake, Variegated Green Snake, (Spotted Bush Snake, Spotted Wood Snake)
|
|
Gefleckte Buschnatter
|
|
Broget Busksnog
|
|
1840 | |
Dendrophis semivariegata Smith |
|
| |
Ahaetulla semivariegata Günther 1963 |
|
| |
Philothamnus semivariegatus Boulenger 1894 |
|
1868 | |
Ahaetulla kirkii Günther (Loveridge 1957) |
|
1869 | |
Dendrophis melanostigma Jan (Broadley 1983) |
|
1893 | |
Philothamnus punctatus sansibaricus Pfeffer (Loveridge 1957) |
Remarks:
Previously included bocagii, dorsalis, nitidus, punctatus, smithii, and thomensis (e.g., Loveridge 1957).
Spawls' (1978) record from Mandera, Kenya, is possibly a punctatus (Largen & Rasmussen 1993).
A record from Yemen (Scortecci 1932) is considered unreliable and needs confirmation (Gasperetti 1988).
The name Spotted Bush Snake should be avoided, since it is also used for punctatus.
Distribution:
Angola,
Benin,
Botswana,
Burkina Faso,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Eritrea,
Eswatini,
Ethiopia,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau,
Ivory Coast,
Kenya,
Liberia,
Malawi,
Mali,
Mozambique
(incl.
Bazaruto Archipelago),
Namibia,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Rwanda,
Senegal,
Sierra Leone,
South Africa
(Eastern Cape,
Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga,
North West Province,
Northern Cape),
South Sudan,
Sudan,
Tanzania
(incl.
Mafia,
Pemba,
Zanzibar),
Togo,
Uganda,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Philothamnus smithii
|
Smith's Green Snake
|
|
Smiths Buschnatter
|
|
Smiths Busksnog
|
|
1882 | |
Philothamnus smithii Bocage |
|
| |
Philothamnus semivariegatus smithii Trape & Baldé 2014 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym or subspecies of semivariegatus (e.g., Loveridge 1957; Trape & Baldé 2014).
Treated as a separate species herein, following Trape, Hughes, Collet & Mediannikov (2021).
Distribution:
Benin,
Chad,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau,
Ivory Coast,
Liberia,
Mali,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Senegal,
Sierra Leone,
Togo.
|
|
|
Philothamnus thomensis
|
São Tomé Green Snake, São Tomé Wood Snake
|
|
São-Tomé-Buschnatter
|
|
São Tomé-busksnog
|
|
1882 | |
Philothamnus thomensis Bocage |
|
| |
Philothamnus semivariegatus thomensis Mertens 1934 |
Remarks:
Blanc & Fretey (2002) listed thomensis from both Sao Tome and Principe, but according to Jesus, Nagy, Branch, Wink, Brehm & Harris (2009) it is endemic to Sao Tome. Presence in Principe is herein regarded as doubtful until verified.
Distribution:
Sao Tome & Principe
(Sao Tome).
|
|
|