Thornscrub Brown Vinesnake
Oxybelis microphthalmus
Barbour and Amaral, 1926
OKS-ee-BEL-iss — my-kroh-FTAL-mus
SSAR 9th Edition Comments:
See comments under Oxybelis.
(Boundy, Jeff, Frank T. Burbrink, and Sara Ruane. 2025. Squamata (excluding lizards) – Snakes. Pages 38-54 in Kirsten E. Nicholson (Editor), Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, 9th Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Lawrence, Kansas. 87 pp.)
(, Museum Voucher)
(, Observation)
(, Literature Record),
(, Citizen Science),
( Fossil)
Open icons indicate questionable records; click on a marker to view details.
Occurrences:; 1,270 Total; 972 Museum; 298 Other
The locality database contains over 7 million records, and geographic and taxonomic errors exist. Click a marker to display its metadata. Registered users may report a potential issue directly from the marker popup.
Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH. - (Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2024.02.18.21.44.53)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 0.15 MB
Province/State Distribution:
United States: Arizona
Taxonomic Etymology:
A slender, arboreal snake with characteristically small eyes.
Oxybelis — From Greek oxys (ὀξύς), “sharp” or “pointed,” and belos (βέλος), “dart” or “missile.” The name refers to the snake’s elongated, pointed head and slender, dart-like body.
microphthalmus — From Greek mikros (μικρός), “small,” and ophthalmos (ὀφθαλμός), “eye.” The name means “small-eyed,” referring to the species’ relatively small ocular size compared to other Oxybelis.
First instance(s) of published English names:
Arizona Vine Snake (Oxybelis microphthalmus: Schmidt, Karl Peterson and D. D. Davis. 1941. Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. C.P. Putnam and Sons, New York. 365pp.); Vine Snake (Oxybelis aeneus: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Mexican Vine Snake (Oxybelis aeneus auratus: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.);
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
The Reptile Database
GenBank
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
Selected References:
|
1926
|
Barbour, Thomas and A. D. Amaral. A new North American snake. Proceedings of the New England Zoological Club 9:79-81
|
|
1967
|
Keiser, Edmund D. A monographicstudy of the Neotropical Vine Snake, Oxybelis aeneus (Wagler). Dissertation. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. 157pp.
|
|
1974
|
Keiser, Edmund D. A systematic study of the Neotropical Vine Snake Oxybelis aeneus (Wagler). Texas Memorial Museum, Austin, Texas. 51pp.
|