Snakes of Australia

The snakes of Australia include some 208 species of snakes (including sea snakes), and some 64 subspecies.
Although Oz has more venomous snakes than non venomous snakes, only 12 species can inflict a bite that could result in human fatalities.

Snakes can be found in all six states as well as both territories.

Wart snakes of Australia

Acrochordus arafurae- Arafura filesnake
Photo courtesy of www.wikimedia.org

There are currently two species recognised in Australia

Family: Acrochordidae

1.Genus: Acrochordus

*Acrochordus arafurae- Arafura filesnake
*Acrochordus granulatus- Little filesnake/Marine filesnake

Pythons of Australia

Morelia viridis- Green tree python
Photo courtesy of www.theanimalfiles.com

Australia is home to 18 species of pythons, and 24 subspecies, which are divided into 4 genera.

Family: Boidae

A.Subfamily: Pythoninae

1.Genus: Aspidites - (Pitless pythons)

*Aspidites melanocephalus- Black headed python
There are three recognised subspecies:
*A.m.melanocephalus
*A.m.adelynensis
*A.m.davieii
*Aspidites ramsayi- Woma python
There are three recognised subspecies:
*A.r.ramsayi
*A.r.panoptes
*A.r.richardjonesii

2.Genus: Antaresia - (Antares pythons)

*Antaresia childreni- Children's python
*Antaresia maculosa- Eastern small blotched python/E.children's python
There are two recognised subspecies:
*A.m.maculosa
*A.m.brentonoloughlini
*Antaresia perthensis- Pygmy python
*Antaresia stimsoni- Large blotched python/Stimson's python
There are two recognised subspecies:
*A.s.stimsoni
*A.s.orientalis

3.Genus: Liasis - (Australian rock pythons)

*Liasis fuscus- Brown water python
There are two recognised subspecies:
*L.f.fuscus
*L.f.jackyae
*Liasis mackloti- Macklot's python
There is only one recognised subspecies:
*L.m.mackloti
*Liasis olivaceus- Olive python
There are two recognised subspecies:
*L.o.oliveaceus
*L.o.barroni

4.Genus: Morelia - (Carpet pythons)

*Morelia amethistina- Scrub python/amethystine python
*Morelia bredli- Central Carpet Python
*Morelia carinata- Rough scaled python
*Morelia kinghorni- King horns python
*Morelia macburniei- Green python
*Morelia mippughae
*Morelia oenpelliensis- Oenpelli rock python
*Morelia spilota- Carpet python
There are seven recognised subspecies:
*M.s.spilota -Diamond python
*M.s.cheynei -Jungle carpet python
*M.s.imbricata -South western carpet python
*M.s.macrospila
*M.s.mcdowelli- Coastal carpet python
*M.s.variegata- North western carpet python/Darwin carpet python
*M.s.metcalfei- Inland carpet python/riverine carpet python
*Morelia viridis- Green tree python
There are two recognised subspecies:
*Morelia.v.viridis
*Morelia.v.shireenae

Colubrids of Australia

Boiga irregularis- Brown cat snake
Photo courtesy of www.allposters.com

Family: Colubridae

There are 11 species,and 5 subspecies of Colubrids found in Australia. They are divided into 3 subfamilies and 8 genera.

A.Subfamily: Homalopsinae

1.Genus: Cerberus -(Dog-faced water snakes)

*Cerberus australis
*Cerberus rynchops- New Guinea bock addam/dog faced water snake
There is only one recognised subspecies:
*C.r.rynchops

2.Genus: Enhydris- (Rainbow water snakes)

*Enhydris polylepis- Smooth water snake/Macleay's water snake

3.Genus: Fordonia

*Fordonia leucobalia- Crab eating water snake/white bellied mangrove snake

4.Genus: Myron

*Myron richardsonii- Richardson's grey mangrove snake

B.Subfamily: Colubrinae

5.Genus: Boiga- (Cat-eyed snakes)

*Boiga irregularis- Brown cat snake

6.Genus: Dendrelaphis- (Tree snakes)

*Dendrelaphis calligastra- Green tree snake
*Dendrelaphis punctulatus- Green tree snake
There are two recognised subspecies:
*D.p.punctulatus
*D.p.striolatus

7.Genus: Stegnotus

*Stegonotus cucullatus- Slatey-grey snake
*Stegonotus parvus- Common ground snake

C.Subfamily: Natricinae

8.Genus: Tropidonophis-(Eastern keelbacks)

*Tropidonophis mairii- Mair's keelback
There are two recognised subspecies:
*T.m.mairii
*T.m.brongersmai

Elapids of Australia

Oxyuranus microlepidotus-Inland taipan
Photo courtesy of www.wikimedia.org

Family: Elapidae

There are 134 species, and 35 subspecies of Elapids found in Australia.
Australia's elapids consist of 34 genera, divided into two subfamilies.

A.Subfamily: Hydrophiinae

1.Genus: Acalyptophis- (Sea snake)

*Acalyptophis peronii- Spiny-headed sea snake

2.Genus: Acantophis- (Death adders)

*Acantophis antarticus- Common death adder
There are three recognised subspecies in Australia:
*A.a.antarticus
*A.a.cliffrosswelingtoni
*A.a.schistos
*Acantophis hawkei
*Acantophis praelongus- Northern Death adder
*Acantophis pyrrhus-Desert death adder
*Acantophis rugosus
*Acantophis wellsi

3.Genus: Aipysurus- (Common sea snakes)

*Aipysurus apraefrontalis-Short-nosed sea snake
*Aipysurus duboisii- Reef shallows sea snake
*Aipysurus eydouxii-Spine-tailed sea snake
*Aipysurus foliosquama- Leaf-scaled sea snake
*Aipysurus fuscus- Dusky sea snake
*Aipysurus laevis- Olive-brown sea snake
There are two recognised subspecies:
*A.l.laevis
*A.l.pooleorum
*Aipysurus tenuis- Arafura sea snake

4.Genus: Astrotia

*Astrotia stokesii- Stoke's sea snake

5.Genus: Austrelaps- (Australian copperheads)

*Austrelaps labialis-Pygmy copperhead
*Austrelaps ramsayi-Highlands copperhead
*Austrelaps superbus- lowlands copperhead

6.Genus: Cacophis- (Australian crowned snakes)

*Cacophis churchilli
*Cacophis harriettae-White-crowned snake
*Cacophis krefftii- Dwarf crowned snake
*Cacophis squamulosus- Golden crowned snake

7.Genus: Demansia- (Australian whipsnakes)

*Demansia angusticeps
*Demansia calodera-Black-necked whipsnake
*Demansia flagellatio
*Demansia olivacea-Olive whipsnake
*Demansia psammophis-Yellow-faced whipsnake
*Demansia quaesitor
*Demansia rimicola
*Demansia rufescens-Rufous whipsnake
*Demansia shinei
*Demansia simplex- Grey whipsnake
*Demansia torquata- Collared whipsnake
*Demansia vestigiata- Black whipsnake

8.Genus: Denisonia- (Ornamental snakes)

*Denisonia devisi-De Vis's banded snake
*Denisonia maculata_Ornamental snake

9.Genus: Disteria- (Sea snakes)

*Disteira kingii-Spectacled sea snake
*Disteira major-Olive-headed sea snake

10.Genus: Drysdalia- (Crowned snakes)

*Drysdalia coronoides-White-lipped snake
*Drysdalia mastersii-Master's snake
*Drysdalia rhodogaster-Mustard-bellied snake

11.Genus: Echiophis- (Bardick snakes)

*Echiopsis atriceps-Lake Cronin snake
*Echiopsis curta-Bardick

12.Genus: Elapognathus- (little brown snakes)

*Elapognathus coronata-Crowned snake
*Elapognathus minor-Short-nosed snake

13Genus: Emydocephalus- (Turtle-headed sea snakes)

*Emydocephalus annulatus-Turtle-headed sea snake

14.Genus: Enhydrina- (Beaked sea snakes)

*Enhydrina schistosa-Beaked sea snake

15.Genus: Ephalophis

*Ephalophis greyae-North Western mangrove sea snake

16.Genus: Furina- (Naped snakes)

*Furina barnardi-Yellow-naped snake
*Furina diadema-Red-naped snake
*Furina dunmalli-Dunmall's snake
*Furina ornata-Orange-naped snake
*Furina tristis-Grey-naped snake

17.Genus: Hemiaspis- (Swamp snakes)

*Hemiaspis damelii-Grey snake
*Hemiaspis signata-Black-bellied swamp snake

18.Genus: Hoplocephalus- (Broad headed snakes)

*Hoplocephalus bitorquatus-Pale-headed snake
*Hoplocephalus bungaroides-Broad-headed snake
*Hoplocephalus stephensii-Stephen's banded snake

19.Genus: Hydrelaps

*Hydrelaps darwiniensis-Port darwin sea snake

20.Genus: Hydrophis- (Asian sea snakes)

*Hydrophis atriceps-Black-headed sea snake
*Hydrophis belcheri-Faint-banded sea snake
*Hydrophis coggeri-Slender-necked sea snake
*Hydrophis czeblukovi-Fine-spined sea snake
*Hydrophis elegans-Elegant sea snake
*Hydrophis fasciatus-Striped sea snake
*Hydrophis inornatus-Plain sea snake
*Hydrophis macdowelli-Small-headed sea snake
*Hydrophis melanocephalus-Slender-necked sea snake
*Hydrophis melanosoma-Black-banded sea snake
*Hydrophis ornatus-Ornate reef sea snake
There are four recognised subspecies:
*H.o.ornatus
*H.o.godeffroyi
*H.o.maresianus
*H.o.ocellatus
*Hydrophis pacificus-Pacific sea snake
*Hydrophis vorisi-Estuarine sea snake

21.Genus: Lapemis- (Sea snakes)

*Lapemis curtusShaw's sea snake
*Lapemis hardwickii-Hardwicke's spine-bellied sea snake

22.Genus: Notechis- (Australian Tiger snakes)

*Notechis scutatus-Mainland Tiger snake
There are six subspecies currently recognised:
*N.s.scutatus-Eastern tiger snake
*N.s.occidentalis-Western tiger snake
*N.s.ater-Black tiger snake
*N.s.humphreysi-Tasmanian tiger snake
*N.s.niger-Peninsula tiger snake
*N.s.serventyi-Chappell Island tiger snake

23.Genus: Oxyuranus- (taipans)

*Oxyuranus microlepidotus-Inland taipan
*Oxyuranus scutellatus-Coastal taipan
*Oxyuranus temporalis-Central ranges Taipan

24.Genus: Parahydrophis

*Parahydrophis mertoni-Northern mangrove sea snake

25.Genus: Pelamis

*Pelamis platura-Yellowbelly sea snake

26.Genus: Polydontognathus- (Dwarf sea snakes)

*Polyodontognathus caerulescens-Dwarf sea snake
One subspecies is currently recognised:
*P.c.caerulescens

27.Genus: Pseudechis - (Black snakes)

*Pseudechis australis-King brown
*Pseudechis butleri-Spotted mulga snake
*Pseudechis colletti-Collett's snake
*Pseudechis guttatus-Blue-bellied black snake
*Pseudechis pailsei
*Pseudechis porphyriacus-Red-bellied black snake
Three subspecies are currently recognised:
*P.p.porphyriacus
*P.p.eipperi
*P.p.rentoni

28.Genus: Pseudonaja- (Brown snakes)

*Pseudonaja affinis -Dugite
Three subspecies are currently recognised:
*P.a.affinis
*P.a.exilis
*P.a.tanneri
*Pseudonaja elliotti
*Pseudonaja guttata-Speckled brown snake
*Pseudonaja inframacula-Peninsula brown snake
*Pseudonaja ingrami-Ingram's brown snake
*Pseudonaja modesta-Ringed brown snake
*Pseudonaja nuchalis-Western brown snake
*Pseudonaja textilis-Eastern brown snake
Two subspecies are currently recognised:
*P.t.textilis
*P.t.pughi

29.Genus: Rhinoplocephalus- (Small-eyed snakes)

*Rhinoplocephalus bicolor-Square-nosed snake
*Rhinoplocephalus boschmai-Carpentaria whip snake
*Rhinoplocephalus incredibilis
*Rhinoplocephalus nigrescens-Small-eyed snake
*Rhinoplocephalus nigrostriatus-Black-striped snake
*Rhinoplocephalus pallidiceps-Northern small-eyed snake

30.Genus: Simoselaps- (Shovel-nosed snakes)

*Simoselaps anomalus-Northern desert banded snake
*Simoselaps approximans-North-western shovel-nosed snake
*Simoselaps australis- Eastern shovel-nosed snake
*Simoselaps bertholdi- Southern desert banded snake
*Simoselaps bimaculatus- Western black-naped snake
*Simoselaps calonotus- Western black-striped snake
*Simoselaps fasciolatus- Narrow-banded shovel-nosed snake
There are two subspecies currently recognised in Austalia:
*S.f.fasciolatus
*S.f.fasciatus
*Simoselaps incinctus- Unbanded shovel-nosed snake
*Simoselaps littoralis- West-coast banded snake
*Simoselaps minimus- Dampierland burrowing snake
*Simoselaps morrisi
*Simoselaps roperi- Northern shovel-nosed snake
*Simoselaps semifasciatus- Southern shovel-nosed snake
There are currently three recognised subspecies:
*S.s.semifasciatus
*S.s.campbelli
*S.s.woodjonesii
*Simoselaps warro- North-eastern plain-nosed burrowing snake

31.Genus: Suta- (Curl snakes)

*Suta dwyeri-Variable black-naped snake
*Suta fasciata-Rosen's snake
*Suta flagellum-Whip hooded snake
*Suta gouldii- Gould's hooded snake
*Suta monachus-Monk snake
*Suta nigriceps- Mallee black-backed snake
*Suta ordensis-Ord curl snake
*Suta punctata- Spotted snake
*Suta spectabilis- Spectacled hooded snake
Three subspecies are currently recognised:
*S.s.spectabilis
*S.s.bushi
*S.s.nullarbor
*Suta suta- Curl snake

32.Genus: Tropidechis- (Rough scaled snakes)

*Tropidechis carinatus - Rough-scaled snake
*Tropidechis sadlieri

33.Genus: Vermicella- (Bandy bandy's)

*Vermicella annulata- Bandy bandy
*Vermicella intermedia
*Vermicella multifasciata- Northern bandy bandy
*Vermicella snelli
*Vermicella vermiformis

B.Subfamily: Laticaudinae

34.Genus: Laticauda- (Sea Kraits)

*Laticauda colubrina- Yellow-lipped sea krait
*Laticauda laticaudata- Blue-lipped sea krait
Three subspecies are currently recognised:
*L.l.laticaudata
*L.l.affinis
*L.l.wolffi
*Laticauda saintgironsi

Blind Snakes of Australia

Ramphotyphlops- Common blindsnakes
Photo courtesy of www.wildlifeqld.com.au

Family: Typhlophidae

There are 43 species of blind snakes that may be found in Australia. These are divided into 2 genera. Currently, there are no known subspecies within the Typhlopidae family found in Australia.

1.Genus: Austrotyphlops- (Australian blind snakes)

*Austrotyphlops affinis-Small-headed blind snake
*Austrotyphlops ammodytes
*Austrotyphlops aspina
*Austrotyphlops australis-Southern blind snake
*Austrotyphlops batillus-Batillus blind snake
*Austrotyphlops bituberculatus-Prong-snouted blind snake
*Austrotyphlops broomi-Faint-striped blind snake
*Austrotyphlops centralis-Central blind snake
*Austrotyphlops chamodracaena-Cape York striped blind snake
*Austrotyphlops diversus-Northern blind snake
*Austrotyphlops endoterus-Interior blind snake
*Austrotyphlops ganei
*Austrotyphlops grypus-Long-beaked blind snake
*Austrotyphlops guentheri-Top end blind snake
*Austrotyphlops hamatus-Pale-headed blind snake
*Austrotyphlops howi-Kimberley deep-soil blind snake
*Austrotyphlops kimberleyensis-Kimberley shallow-soil blind snake
*Austrotyphlops leptosomus-Murchison blind snake
*Austrotyphlops ligatus-Robust blind snake
*Austrotyphlops longissimus
*Austrotyphlops margaretae-Buff-snouted blind snake
*Austrotyphlops micrommus-Small-eyed blind snake
*Austrotyphlops minimus-dwarf blind snake
*Austrotyphlops nema
*Austrotyphlops nigrescens-Blackish blind snake
*Austrotyphlops nigroterminatus
*Austrotyphlops pilbarensis
*Austrotyphlops pinguis-Rotund blind snake
*Austrotyphlops proximus-Proximus blind snake
*Austrotyphlops robertsi
*Austrotyphlops silvia-Great sandy blind snake
*Austrotyphlops splendidus
*Austrotyphlops tovelli-Darwin blind snake
*Austrotyphlops troglodytes-Sandamara blind snake
*Austrotyphlops unguirostris-Claw-snouted blind snake
*Austrotyphlops waitii-Beaked blind snake
*Austrotyphlops wiedii-Brown-snouted blind snake
*Austrotyphlops yampiensis-Yampi blind snake
*Austrotyphlops yirrikalae-Yirrikala blind snake

2.Genus: Ramphotyphlops- (Common blindsnakes)

*Ramphotyphlops bicolor
*Ramphotyphlops braminus-Flowerpot snake
*Ramphotyphlops Leucoproctus-White-tailed blind snake
*Ramphotyphlops polygrammicus-Southern New Guinea blind snake


We believe that the information provided regarding the snakes of Australia is up to date, however this page should not be regarded as a taxonomic reference due to the constant DNA sequencing that is being done on snakes to determine the origin and identity of snakes.
As a result we have no doubt that there will be many more name changes in the future.

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