Philodryas aestiva (Duméril, Bibron and Duméril, 1854), Dumeril, Bibron and Dumeril, 1854

Guedes, Thaís B., Nogueira, Cristiano & Marques, Otavio A. V., 2014, Diversity, natural history, and geographic distribution of snakes in the Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 3863 (1), pp. 1-93 : 45

Philodryas aestiva (Duméril, Bibron and Duméril, 1854) “Cobra-de-cipó-verde”

(Figs. 17.2 and 29.4)

Recorded only in Bahia State, municipality of Mucugê. This area is inside Diamantina Plateau , 980 m elevation. It is recorded in the Cerrado, Pampas, and highland grasslands of the Atlantic Forest ( Marques et al. 2001; Bérnils et al. 2008; Nogueira et al. 2010, 2011). The area where this species occurs in Caatinga has a complex of phytophysiognomies including caatinga, cerrado, and moist forest vegetation (Juncá et al. 2005; Freitas et al. 2012a). Relatively common in open, grassland habitats in the Cerrado region ( Argôlo & Freitas 2002; Freitas & Silva 2007; Valdujo et al. 2009; Nogueira et al. 2010), and we believe it inhabits relictual, open, upland rocky savanna enclaves named campos rupestres in the Caatinga. The species has semi-arboreal habits, is diurnal, and feeds on frogs and lizards ( Marques et al. 2001).