ASPECTS OF THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ROUGH GREEN SNAKE, OPHEODRYS AESTIVUS (COLUBRIDAE)

Opheodrys aestivus was observed and collected at several locations in central Oklahoma. This species prefers a narrow arboreal microhabitat of dense brush in edge situations. This microhabitat is found in a variety of habitats, such as lakeshores, streambanks, upland ravines, and forest edges. Rough green snakes are able to live away from standing water by sucking droplets of dew from leaves. Green snakes exhibit little sexual dimorphism in relative tail length, indicative of adaptation for arboreality in body proportions. The snake's green coloration has a camouflaging and possibly a countershading effect, which is enhanced by its habit of freezing when approached. The response to body contact by other snakes or by humans appears to be a predator defense mechanism. Ten egg clutches had an average of 5.5 eggs. Six gravid females laid eggs in the laboratory. The mean incubation period was 41 days. Twenty- nine hatchlings had an average of 142 mm body length and 210 mm total length. Sexual dimorphism among hatchlings was insignificant. Two clutches of eggs were found in rotting logs.