Poisonous Snakes of iho World 



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 Killed lands. 



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FioVRE 102. — Australian Brown Snake, Deniansia tex- 

 tiUs. This fast-nioviiitf snake is iirotiably resiumsible 

 for more deaths in Australia than any other snake. 

 Photo by Eric Worrell. 



Remarks: This is a fast-moving and agile snake that 

 becomes aggressive if disturbed. "When aroused it flat- 

 tens its neck and raises it from the ground in an S- 

 shaped loop. Large individuals should be treated with 

 respect. Due to its common occurrence and to.xic venom, 

 it may be responsible for more deaths than any other 

 Australian snake. It will strike repeatedly if antagon- 

 ized. 



An antivenin for this group of snakes ("Brown 

 Snake") is produced by the rommonwealth Serum La- 

 boratories of Australia. "Taipan" antivenin, also pro- 

 duced by Commonwealth, may be used also. 



ELAPIDAE: Genus Denisonio KrefFt, 1869. 



AuHtialian cojuM'iheads and ornamental snakes. 



Nineteen species are recognized by Klemmer (19G3: 

 290-204) ; except for a single species, they are all Au- 

 stralian. The interrelations of the snakes of this genus 

 are not clear and Worrell (1963: 190, 192) does not 

 believe that all belong to the same genus. Only 2 of 

 the species apiiear to be highly dangerous. One of these 

 is fotuid in southeastern Australia and Tasmania iD. 

 superba), the other (Z). par) in the Solomon Islands. 



Dffhiiliiiii: ileiid sniiill lo niodenile In sl/.i> iiiid n»l 



disllnci or only sllglilly disllnci fr Ilie neck. A fairly 



ilisliiicl c-iiiilliiis III some spi'cies. relatively iiidisllnct 

 In others, Hody nioderalely stout lo relallvely slender; 

 tail short. 



Eyes moderate in size; pupils vertically elliptical In 

 some, round in others. 



Head scales: The typical 9 on the crown, frontal 

 distinclly longer I I..", to '_' limes) than broad. Laterally, 

 nasal In contact wllli |ireociilar. 



Body scales: Dorsals smooth, in 1,5-17 rows at mid- 

 body, fewer iiosleriorly. \'entrals 129-1!M ; anal plate 

 entire; suhcaudals single in most species, paired in D. 

 par icoodfordii of the Solomons, 2r)-.''(0. 



Maxillary teeth: Two short fangs followed, after an 

 interspace, by 3-10 small teeth. 



Solomons Copperhead, Denisonia par (Boulen- 

 p:er). 



IrlcitlificatiDii: Body moderately slender, slightly com- 

 pressed ; head somewhat flattened, distinct from neck. 

 .Vdiilts average approximately .'^0 inches in length; 

 record length a lillle more than .30 inches. 



Body with a lustrous sheen. The color varies from 

 sandy-brown through pink, reddish, and gray, to almost 

 unicolor black. Faint, irregular crossbars may be visible 

 but usually coloration is uniform with scale edges darker 

 than centers. 



Eyes miMlerate in size; impils roniul or subelliptic. 



Dorsals in 17 rows at midbody, reduced to 15 poste- 

 riorly. Ventrals 104-181; anal plate divided or entire; 

 suhcaudals 38-53, single (D. p. pur) or paired (D. par 

 icoodfordii). 



Distrihiitioti: Widespread in the Solomon Islands; 

 not yet reported from Bougainville, Choiseul, or the is- 

 lands south of Malaita and CJuadalcanal. Found in 

 rain forest, grasslands, and cocoaiiiit plantations. 



flciiturks: Two other elapid snakes occur in the 

 Solomons. D. par differs from Parapisfocalamtis hedi- 

 gcri (so far known only from Bougainville) In having 

 a longer tail (more than 37 suhcaudals) and 2 postocu- 

 lars; from Micropechis elapoides in having fewer ven- 

 trals (less than 18.5). See Williams and Parker (1964) 

 for additional features. 



This snake is considered potentially dangerous but 

 nothing has been recorded on the effects of its bite. 



Australian Copperhead, Deni-'ionia superha (Giin- 

 tlier). 



Idcntifiralioii: Body moderately stout with short tail. 

 Head flat and fairly broad, only slightly distinct from 

 neck. Adult length averages 4 to 5 feet ; record length 

 (a Tasmanian specimen) about 6 feet. 



Body color extremely variable. Coppery or reddish 

 brown over much of its range ; blackish or reddish with 

 an obscure dark stripe down back in Blue Mountain 

 region; a black back with yellowish or whitish sides 

 in Bowral region. Sometimes (in Queensland) entirely 

 black. Coloration of labial scales distinctive in Alpine 

 specimens : each scale bicolored, upper and rear parts 



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