MORPHOLOGY OF VENOMOUS SNAKES 19 



Pseudelaps diadema. 



Color pale brown with a brown net on each scale and a yellow transverse band 

 on occiput; belly uniformly white. Total length about 2 feet. North, East, and 

 West Australia. 

 Pseudelaps warro. 



Same characteristics as diadema, but with large black collar around neck; top 

 of head black, but not so black as collar. Port Curtis, Queensland. 



Pseudelaps sutherlandii. 



Same characteristics as above, except certain color variations. This also has a 

 spectacle-shaped collar on neck. Norman River, Queensland. 



Genus DIEMENIA Gray. 



The maxillary bone surpasses the palatine bone and carries a very well-developed 

 pair of poison fangs, behind which are 7 to 15 smaller teeth with wide interspaces 

 between them and the fangs. The anterior mandibular teeth are elongated and 

 present the appearance of poison fangs. Head and neck slightly distinct. Eyes 

 quite large with round pupil. Body cylindrical with 15 to 19 rows of scales on 

 back. Tail is moderate, subcaudals usually in two rows. Color very variable, 

 yellowish, olive, brownish-red, and brown. Medium length about 3.5 to 5 feet. 

 Southeast of New Guinea and Australia. 



The following species of Diemenia exhibit the characteristics noted: psammophis, 

 torquata, and olivacea have 15 rows of scales; modesta has 19 rows, as have also 

 textilis, the "Brown" snake, and nuchalis. 



Genus PSEUDECHIS Wagler. 



The maxillary bone surpasses the palatine bone markedly, and carries a large pair 

 of poison fangs, followed by two to five smaller solid teeth in the rear. Anterior 

 mandibular teeth long. Head more or less distinct from neck. Eyes rather small, 

 with round pupil. Body cylindrical. Scales smooth, in 17 to 23 rows, having a 

 few more rows on the neck, though the latter is not, or only slightly, dilated. Tail 

 moderate, the subcaudals partly in double, partly in single series. Total length 

 about 6 feet or even longer. Australia and New Guinea. Eight species in this 

 genus. 

 Pseudechis porphyriacus. (Plate 8, a.) 



Back black with anterior row of red scales; belly reddish with black edges. 

 Pseudechis cupreus. 



Color copper above, brown or orange beneath; all the plates and scales black- 

 rimmed. 



Pseudechis ferox. 



Muzzle greatly rounded off. Scales on body in 25 rows. Dorsal color black, 

 yellowish on under side. 



Besides the above named, the following species of Pseudechis have the color 

 characteristics noted: 



P. australis, back pale brown; belly yellowish. 



P. darwiniensis, brownish-red; head pale brown; belly light yellow. 



P. papmnus, uniformly black, but chin white. 



P. scutellatus, dark brown above; muzzle pale brown or yellowish; belly 



yellow. 

 P. microlepidotus, dark brown above; belly grayish-yellow; head blackish. 



Genus DENISONIA Krefft. 



Maxillary bone projecting beyond palatine bone, with a pair of large poison 

 fangs followed by 3 to 5 smaller teeth. Anterior mandibular teeth pretty well 



