The green tree snake is called inh olbmban in Uw Oykangand and Uw Olkola and thay meele in Pakanh. It includes the northern tree snake, Dendrelaphis calligastra and the common tree snake, D. punctulata (family Colubridae). The latter is more common in the dry sclerophyll forests of central Cape York Peninsula. These are agile tree snakes with whip tails.

The thay classifier in the Pakanh name for this snake appears to be a shortened form of thaypan, the name for the Taipan snake.

The green tree snake is closely associated with the brown tree snake. Neither is venemous.