Bothriechis lateralis Peters, 1862

Taxonomic Identity

This species is Bothriechis lateralis Peters, 1862.

Adult Size

Adult individuals usually grow to less than 80 centimetres (31 in) in length, though some specimens may exceed 100 centimetres (39 in).

Body Morphology

They are relatively slender snakes with a prehensile tail.

Dorsal Base Coloration

Their base color ranges from emerald green to bluish green, marked with a series of alternating yellow paravertebral vertical bars.

Dorsal Scale Markings

Some scales adjacent to these yellow markings may have blue or black tips.

Ventral Coloration

The belly is an even yellow-green, with a pale yellow stripe along each side that runs across the lower part of the paraventral scales and the outermost lateral section of the ventral scales.

Head Markings

The top of the head is solid green, and a weakly defined blue or blue-gray postocular stripe may be present; this stripe is especially faint in large adults.

Adult Iris Color

Adult individuals have yellow irises.

Juvenile Coloration

Juvenile specimens are typically brown, with dark brown markings on the head, bronze irises, postocular stripes, yellow-edged paravertebral markings, and a yellow or chartreuse tail tip.

Juvenile Color Transition Timeline

Captive juveniles keep this juvenile color pattern for around six months, after which their base color begins to change to a dull lime green, and the yellow edges of the paravertebral vertical bars become more noticeable.

It is estimated that the full transition to adult coloration takes 18 to 24 months to complete.

Captive Color Shift

Like many green snake species, captive adult Bothriechis lateralis tend to turn blue over time, though blue individuals are sometimes also found in wild populations.

Geographic Distribution

This species is geographically distributed in the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama, including the Cordillera de Tilarán, the Cordillera Central, and the Cordillera de Talamanca, extending into Panama's Chiriquí Province and Veraguas Province.

Altitudinal Range

It occurs at altitudes between 850 and 980 meters.

Type Locality

The listed type locality is "Costa Rica vom Vulcan Barbo [Volcán Barba] ... und .. Veragua" [Panama].

Natural Habitat

It inhabits lower montane forest, lower montane wet forest, and lower montane rainforest.

Population Status in Modified Habitats

While this species can survive in some areas modified for agricultural use, such as coffee plantations, it is gradually disappearing from these altered habitats.

Population Status in Protected Areas

In contrast, it is common in many protected areas, where its populations are considered stable and healthy.