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Venomous Snakes of Australia

Death adder

Acanthophis antarcticus

Description:

Reddish, yellowish, or brown

Distinct, dark brown crossbands

Black tail ends in a hard spine

Characteristics:

Flattens body when aroused

Nocturnal

Related to the cobra family

Powerful, neurotoxic venom

Habitat:

Arid regions

Fields

Wooded lands

The death adder lives in the regions of Australia, New Guinea, and Moluccas.

Tiger Snake

Notechis scutatus

Description:

Olive to dark brown on top

Yellowish or olive belly and crossbands

Subspecies is uniformly black

Characteristics:

Most dangerous snake in Australia

Very common

Human bites occur often

Potent neurotoxic venom

Aggressive when aroused

Habitat:

Arid regions

Human settlements

Waterways

Grasslands

The tiger snake is distributed throughout Australia, Tasmania, Bass Strait islands, and New Guinea.

Taipan

Oxyuranus scutellatus

Description:

Olive or dark brown

Head is darker brown

Characteristics:

One of Earth's deadliest snakes

Aggressive disposition

Flattens its head when aroused

Strikes so quickly that victims receive several bites before the taipan's retraction

Powerful neurotoxic venom

Habitat:

Savanna forests

Inland plains

The taipan makes its home inNorthern Australia and southern New Guinea.

Poisonous Sea Snakes

Banded sea snake

Laticauda colubrina

Description: Smooth-scaled snake that is a pale shade of blue with black bands. Its oarlike tail provides propulsion in swimming.

Characteristics: Most active at night, swimming close to shore and at times entering tide pools. Its venom is a very strong neurotoxin. Its victims are usually fishermen who untangle these deadly snakes from large fish nets.

Habitat: Common in all oceans, absent in the Atlantic Ocean.

Length: Average 75 centimeters, maximum 1.2 meters.

Distribution: Coastal waters of New Guinea, Pacific islands, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and Japan.

Yellow-bellied sea snake

Pelamis platurus

Description: Upper part of body is black or dark brown and lower part is bright yellow.

Characteristics: A highly venomous snake belonging to the cobra family. This snake is truly of the pelagic species--it never leaves the water to come to shore. It has an oarlike tail to aid its swimming. This species is quick to defend itself. Sea snakes do not really strike, but deliberately turn and bite if molested. A small amount of their neurotoxic venom can cause death.

Habitat: Found in all oceans except the Atlantic Ocean.

Length: Average 0.7 meter, maximum 1.1 meters.

Distribution: Throughout the Pacific Ocean from many of the Pacific islands to Hawaii and to the coast of Costa Rica and Panama.


		Venomous Snakes of Australia
	Death adder Acanthophis antarcticus Description: Reddish, yellowish, or brown Distinct, dark brown crossbands Black tail ends in a hard spine Characteristics: Flattens body when aroused Nocturnal Related to the cobra family Powerful, neurotoxic venom Habitat: Arid regions Fields Wooded lands The death adder lives in the regions of Australia, New Guinea, and Moluccas. Tiger Snake Notechis scutatus Description: Olive to dark brown on top Yellowish or olive belly and crossbands Subspecies is uniformly black Characteristics: Most dangerous snake in Australia Very common Human bites occur often Potent neurotoxic venom Aggressive when aroused Habitat: Arid regions Human settlements Waterways Grasslands The tiger snake is distributed throughout Australia, Tasmania, Bass Strait islands, and New Guinea. Taipan Oxyuranus scutellatus Description: Olive or dark brown Head is darker brown Characteristics: One of Earth's deadliest snakes Aggressive disposition Flattens its head when aroused Strikes so quickly that victims receive several bites before the taipan's retraction Powerful neurotoxic venom Habitat: Savanna forests Inland plains The taipan makes its home inNorthern Australia and southern New Guinea. Poisonous Sea Snakes Banded sea snake Laticauda colubrina Description: Smooth-scaled snake that is a pale shade of blue with black bands. Its oarlike tail provides propulsion in swimming. Characteristics: Most active at night, swimming close to shore and at times entering tide pools. Its venom is a very strong neurotoxin. Its victims are usually fishermen who untangle these deadly snakes from large fish nets. Habitat: Common in all oceans, absent in the Atlantic Ocean. Length: Average 75 centimeters, maximum 1.2 meters. Distribution: Coastal waters of New Guinea, Pacific islands, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and Japan. Yellow-bellied sea snake Pelamis platurus Description: Upper part of body is black or dark brown and lower part is bright yellow. Characteristics: A highly venomous snake belonging to the cobra family. This snake is truly of the pelagic species--it never leaves the water to come to shore. It has an oarlike tail to aid its swimming. This species is quick to defend itself. Sea snakes do not really strike, but deliberately turn and bite if molested. A small amount of their neurotoxic venom can cause death. Habitat: Found in all oceans except the Atlantic Ocean. Length: Average 0.7 meter, maximum 1.1 meters. Distribution: Throughout the Pacific Ocean from many of the Pacific islands to Hawaii and to the coast of Costa Rica and Panama.