The Spotted Bush Snake (Philothamnus semivariegatus) is a non-venomous snake from Sub-Saharan Africa. Taxonomy: it belongs to the order Squamata; suborder: Serpentes; family: Colubridae; genus: Philothamnus; and species: P. semivariegatus. When confronted, this reptile inflates the throat to expose vivid blue skin between the scales as it strikes readily. However, this is only a bluff as it is completely harmless.
Physical Description
The Spotted Bush Snake has a slender body and a long tail, measuring between 80 and 100 cm (1 m) in length. A lateral keel runs along each side of the belly and tail. It is green, with black spots and crossbars on the foreparts; these might become grey towards the tail. It is a diurnal snake that hunts among bushes and trees in rocky places or along river courses. The Philothamnus semivariegatus is a fast climber, going up tree trunks and branches in pursuit of lizards and frogs. The female lays between 3 and 12 eggs in mid-summer.
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| The Spotted Bush Snake slithering among the bushes. |
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