Poisonoui Snakoi of the World 



Tlu' Nklii lu'lwccn till- scnlcs Is wlilliv Ilclly Is yellow, 

 iiiul sihtKUmI »llh <>riint:i' In .Viislnilliiti Niiiikrs. 



Tilt* sciiU-s iirt' MM (Icsi'I'IIiimI In llii' K<'>><>rl(' (li-llnillnn. 



Dintrihutiiin: The lni|iiin liiliiililts KnisHlnnds anil 

 MAviiiinnh iirciiH In niirtli«>rn Anslrallii, Melville Islnnd, 

 and coastal Now (ininca frmn I lie Fly Ulver eastward to 

 the vU'lnlty of Port Moresliy. It appears to be moat 

 abiiriilant around rocks an<l bonldcrs. wliere It lives in 

 rodent bnrrows. 



litniarks: The tiiipiin is iicllvc dnrinu dnyllj:lit hours 

 and also on hot niclits. It will usually attempt to es- 

 cape If disturbed, but may become a dangerous adver- 

 sary If seriously threatened. When provoked it flattens 

 Its bend, compre.sses the neck vertically, and expands 

 the body so that the white skin shows between the 

 .scales. Adoptinn a defensive attitude of loose loops, it 

 arches part of the body oft" the ground and waves its tail. 

 It then attacks so swiftly and suddenly that the victim 

 may be bitten several times before he can defend himself 

 or e.scape. 



This larse snake lias faiiKs that are very long for an 

 elapid (over '•; inch in a 7 foot individual) and its 

 venom is one of the most toxic known. Few people sur- 

 vived its bite before a special antivenin was available. 



A specific antivenin ("Taipan") is now produced by 

 the Commonwealth Serum Lalxiratories of Australia. 



lii/liiiliiiii: Head rnlher eloiiKale, only sllKlilly dis- 

 tinct from Mci'k : a dlsllmt cniilhiis roslnilis. Itudy 

 depressed niiil iiindci iitcly slender; tail iModciiitc in 

 leiiKth. 



KyeH moderate in size; pupils round. 



Head scales: The usual !) on the crown. Laterally, 

 nasal In contact with preociilar. 



Hody scales: Dor.sals smooth and glossy, in 17 21 

 rows at midbody. reduced to 17 posteriorly. Ventrals 

 l.SO-i;.'{0; anal plate divided; anterior subcaudals usually 

 entire, posterior ones paired, 48-70. 



Maxillary teeth : Two .short fangs followed, after an 

 intersimce, by 3 ft small teeth. 



Australian Mulga Snake, Pseudechis australis 

 (Gray). 



Identification: Adult snakes usually measure 5 to 6 

 feet ; a record specimen was "over 9 feet in length." 



Body color copper brown. I'sually each scale has a 

 red or orange tij) and a lighter center, giving a reticu- 

 lated pattern. Helly ireani or yellowish with faint 

 oranges blotches. 



Dorsal scales in 17 rows throughout body. There are 

 180-220 ventrals ; 50-70 subcaudals, of which about the 

 first 30 are entire, the remainder paired. (The two 

 known spe<iiiiens from New (Jiiinea have all I'litire.) 



ELAPIDAE: Genus Parapisfocalamus Roux, 1934. 

 Hediger's snake. 



A single species, /'. Itcdiyrri Roux, is known from 

 Bougainville Island. Solomons group. It is a small 

 burrowing snake; the largest known specimen is about 

 20 inches in length. It is not believed to be a dan- 

 gerous species. 



Definition: Head small and not distinct from neck; 

 no canthus rostralis ; snout conspicuously blunted. 

 Bod.v cylindrical and moderately slender ; tail short. 



Eyes very small : pupils round. 



Head scales : The usual 9 on the crown ; frontal 

 and prefrontals very broad ; rostral broad. Laterally, 

 preocular present or fused with prefrontal ; if present 

 preocular in contact with nasal or separated from It 

 by prefrontal. 



Bod.v scales: Dorsals smooth, in 15 rows throughout 

 body. Ventrals l.")9-169; anal i)late divided or entire; 

 subcaudals paired. .32-35. 



Maxillary teeth : Two fangs of moderate size ; no 

 other teeth on maxillary bone. 



ELAPIDAE: Genus Pseuc/ech/s Wagler, 1830. 

 Aiistialiaii black snakes and mulga snakes. 



Four species are recognized. Three are Australian 

 but one of these (P. aiixlralin) also occurs in south- 

 eastern Xew Guinea. .Vnother species. P. i)ai>iia>iiis, 

 is found only in southeastern Xew Guinea and some of 

 the offshore islands. Both of these species are dan- 

 gerous. 



Figure 107. — Australian Mulga Snake, Pseudechis au- 

 stralis. Photo by Eric Worrell. 



Distribution: This snake is an inhabitant of the dry 

 areas In the northern half of Australia, southern New 

 Guinea, and Melville Island. 



Remarks: This large brown snake is often mistaken 

 for the taipan ; however, its perfectly smooth scales and 

 fewer ventrals distinguish it from the latter. 



The mulga snake is large and relatively aggressive, 

 and will defend Itself if held or cornered, flattening the 

 body and neck and striking repeatedly. It will hold on 

 when it bites and chews hard, thus Injecting more 

 venom. However, it does not attack unless provoked 

 and its venom rarely causes death. 



No specific antivenin is produced but Taipan, Tiger 

 Snake or Papuan Black Snake antivenins are used in 

 treatment ; they are all produced by the Commonwealth 

 Serum Laboratories of Australia. 



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