NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Green Mamba
Dendroaspis angusticeps (Smith, 1849)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The eastern green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) is a highly venomous snake species of the mamba genus Dendroaspis native to the coastal regions of southern East Africa. Described by Scottish surgeon and zoologist Andrew Smith in 1849, it has a slender build with a bright green back and green-yellow ventral scales. Adult females average around 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in length, and males are slightly smaller. In spite of common urban legends and misconceptions labeling the eastern green mamba an aggressive, fast-moving "people-chaser", it is in fact a shy and elusive species that remains hidden in the trees, and is rarely seen. This seclusion is usually attributed to its arboreal habitat and green colouration, which acts as effective camouflage in its natural environment. Even with its deadly venom, the green mamba has to protect itself from predators, including birds of prey and other snakes, such as cobras. It has been observed engaging in ambush predation, a trait seen among many Viperidae species, contrary to the active hunting style typical of other Elapidae snakes.
Wikipedia contributors, Eastern green mamba; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T02:19:02.619103+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Dendroaspis angusticeps (Smith, 1849)
- Name authority
- (Smith, 1849)
- Common name
- Green Mamba
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Elapidae
- Genus
- Dendroaspis
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
- suborderSerpentes Linnaeus, 1758
- infraorderAlethinophidia Nopcsa, 1923
- familyElapidae
- genusDendroaspis
- speciesDendroaspis angusticeps (Smith, 1849)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Dendroaspis. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Jameson’s (Green) MambaDendroaspis jamesoni (Traill, 1843) | ElapidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Black MambaDendroaspis polylepis Günther, 1864 | ElapidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Western Green MambaDendroaspis viridis (Hallowell, 1844) | ElapidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Dendraphis angusticeps Günther, 1858 Günther, 1858 | synonym |
| Dendroaspis intermedius Günther, 1865 Günther, 1865 | synonym |
| Naja angusticeps Smith, 1849 Smith, 1849 | synonym |
| Dendroaspis sjoestedti Lönnberg, 1910 Lönnberg, 1910 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Dendroaspis&species=angusticeps Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:34M6M. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.