Colubrids
COMMON TREE SNAKE (Dendrelaphis Punctulata)
COMMON TREE SNAKE (Dendrelaphis Punctulata)
COMMON TREE SNAKE (Dendrelaphis Punctulata)
The Common Tree Snake has a sleek slender body with long, very thin tail. Distinctive ridge extends along outer edges of belly. Has a y colour range from green, olive, brown & black to rare blue-grey on upper body. Belly yellow or creamy, with bright yellow present on throat. Some specimens with blue or grey belly but generally maintain the yellow coloration above the ventral ridges. Skin between the scales when spread show as a light sky blue. Eye appears large comparative to head.
Midbody scales at 11 -13 rows (rarely 15).
Average length around 1.2m.
Diurnal: Most likely to be seen during the day
BROWN TREE SNAKE (Boiga Iregularis)
COMMON TREE SNAKE (Dendrelaphis Punctulata)
COMMON TREE SNAKE (Dendrelaphis Punctulata)
Growing up to 2m the Brown Tree Snak is slender and is brown with a yellow or red tinge and numerous irregular cross-bands with a cream to salmon belly. It has a broad bulbous head distinct from a narrow neck. The eyes are large with vertical cat-like pupils.
It is a rear-fanged, possessing two small, grooved fangs at the rear of the mouth. This snake is mildly venomous, making it the only venomous Colubrid in Queensland.
Nocturnal: Most likely to be seen during the night
KEELBACK (Tropidonophis Mairii)
COMMON TREE SNAKE (Dendrelaphis Punctulata)
KEELBACK (Tropidonophis Mairii)
Keelbacks are Australia's only non-venomous, semi-aquatic snake. They are a small snake growing to 1 m at the most, but most adults range from 50 - 75 cm. They are grey to olive-brown or black in colour, with an indistinct banded pattern. The belly is usually cream with narrow dark bands highlighting the edges of each broad ventral scale. The keelback's name comes from its distinguishing feature of strongly keeled scales (rather than being smooth, the scales have a ridge down the centre making them rough to the touch).
The scales are in 15 rows at the mid-body. Keelbacks are harmless, but look very similar to venemous rough-scaled snakes.
Nocturnal: Most likely to be seen during the night
Elapids
EASTERN BROWN SNAKE (Pseudonaja textilis)
RED BELLied BLACK SNAKE (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
RED BELLied BLACK SNAKE (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
The eastern brown snake , often referred to as the common brown snake, is a species of dangerously venomous snake of family Elapidae.
A medium sized snake, with a slender to moderate build and a smallish head barely distinct from the neck. Body colour may be almost any shade of brown, ranging from near black to light tan, chestnut or burnt-orange. The head colour of dark individuals may be slightly paler than the rest of the body, but otherwise the dorsal colour is fairly uniform (a very few scattered dark scales may be present).
Hatchlings have a prominent dark patch on the top of the head and across the nape, and some hatchlings also have dark bands down the entire length of the body. These markings fade as they mature, however in some populations the bands are retained into adulthood. Ventral surface is cream, yellow or orange, and blotched with pinkish-orange, brown or grey. Body scales are smooth and slightly glossy. Eyes are medium size and shadowed by an obvious brow-ridge. The iris is usually orange thickly rimmed with black, and the pupil is round.
Midbody scales in 17 rows, ventrals 185-235, anal scale divided, subcaudals divided (rarely a few single anterior scales).
Diurnal: Most likely to be seen during the day
RED BELLied BLACK SNAKE (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
RED BELLied BLACK SNAKE (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
RED BELLied BLACK SNAKE (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
The red-bellied black snake is a dangerously venomous snake in the Elapidae family and are very commonly seen in the Sunshine Coast area.
A medium-sized snake, with a moderate to robust build and head barely distinct from the neck. Dorsal head and body colour is uniform black, except for the snout which is often pale brown. The lowest lateral scale rows and the outer edge of the ventral scales are bright crimson, fading to duller red, orange or pink in the middle of the belly. In the north of the range the ventral colour may be greyish-pink to white. The underside of the tail is black. Body scales are smooth and glossy. Eyes are medium size and shadowed by an obvious brow-ridge. The iris is very dark, and the pupil is round.
Midbody scales in 17 rows, ventrals 170-215, anal scale divided, anterior subcaudals single, posterior divided (occasionally all single).
Diurnal: Most likely to be seen during the day
ROUGH SCALED SNAKE (Tropidechis carinatus)
RED BELLied BLACK SNAKE (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
yellow faced whip snake (Demansia psammophis)
The Rough-Scaled Snake is a dangerously venomous snake in the Elapidae family.
The Rough-scaled Snake has a slender to medium build, with a large head distinct from the body. Its back, sides and tail range in colour from brown to olive to dark brown, with dark transverse blotches or stripes predominantly across the anterior body (may be indistinct in older individuals). The body scales are quite long and thin, strongly keeled, and matt in appearance. The head is glossy, unpatterned, and slightly darker than the body. Eyes are large and tan brown in colour, and the pupil is round with a coppery brown rim. Tongue pink.
The ventral surface can be cream, yellow or olive, often with darker blotches.
Midbody scales in 23 rows, ventrals 160-185, anal and subcaudal scales single.
They are superficially very similar to the non-venomous Keelback Snake (Tropidonophis mairii), which overlaps in distribution and may share the same habitat. The Keelback has divided anal and sub-caudal scales, and a loreal scale between the nasal and preocular scale, whereas the Rough-Scale Snake has single anal and sub-caudals, and no loreal scale (the nasal and preocular are in contact).
Nocturnal: Most likely to be seen during rainy nights
yellow faced whip snake (Demansia psammophis)
yellow faced whip snake (Demansia psammophis)
yellow faced whip snake (Demansia psammophis)
Yellow Faced Whipsnake is a mildly venomous snake in the Elapidae family. It is pale grey to brown in colour, with reddish colouring on the head, and sometimes on the tail as well. The belly is grey-green to yellowish. A dark comma-shaped streak runs from the eye to the corner of the mouth. The face is usually but not always yellowish, with a narrow, yellow-edged dark bar around the front of the snout from nostril to nostril.
The average length is 80cm, with a maximum of 1m. Males are larger than females. It can be distinguished from the Eastern Brown by its facial markings, and smaller size.
Diurnal: Most likely to be seen during the day
bandy-bandy snake (Vermicella annulata)
yellow faced whip snake (Demansia psammophis)
bandy-bandy snake (Vermicella annulata)
Bandy Bandy is a mildly venomous Elapid.
It is blackish/ brown colour with irregular white bands across the length of its body.
Average size of adults are 50-60cm but up to 90cm.
Nocturnal burrowing snake, rarely encountered and has a unique defensive display; holding braced loops of its body off the ground when threatened.
Nocturnal: Most likely to be seen at night
golden-crowned snake (Cacophis squamulosus)
yellow faced whip snake (Demansia psammophis)
bandy-bandy snake (Vermicella annulata)
The Golden-crowned Snake is a mildly venomous Elapid.
It is brown to grey above and pink or orange below, with a yellowish crown-shaped marking on the head running down on both sides of its neck, which gives it its name. The pupils are vertically elliptical.
This is not considered a very dangerous snake and is not inclined to bite.
Nocturnal: Most likely to be seen at night
white-crowned snake (Cacophis harriettae)
marsh snake (Hemiaspis signata)
white-crowned snake (Cacophis harriettae)
White-crowned snakes are mildly venomous Elapids.
They are dark brown or steely grey with a white or yellowish stripe across their neck.
They can grow to 40cm in length and are venomous but not classed as dangerous.
Nocturnal: Most likely to be seen at night
dwarf-crowned snake (Cacophis krefftii)
marsh snake (Hemiaspis signata)
white-crowned snake (Cacophis harriettae)
Dwarf-Crowned Snake is a mildly venomous Elapid.
It is a shiny metallic black along the entire dorsal surface and down along the flanks. A small yellow ‘bracket’ like marking surrounds the back of the head. This crown is distinct from the rest of the body and similar in colour to the vibrant yellow underbelly.
Usually grow to around 40cm in length.
Nocturnal: Most likely to be seen at night
marsh snake (Hemiaspis signata)
marsh snake (Hemiaspis signata)
marsh snake (Hemiaspis signata)
The Marsh Snake is a mildly venomous Elapid.
It is fairly uniform brown, olive or black above with dark grey or black belly surface. Two prominent narrow pale-yellowish stripes on each side of face, one running from snout, through eye and onto neck area, & one below eye running from snout to corner of mouth. In juveniles the head is often darker than the body. Scales smooth. Midbody scales at 17 rows.
Length is generally around 50cm with occasional specimens nearing 70cm.
Diurnal: most likely to be seen during the day
EASTERN SMALL-EYED snake (Cryptophis nigrescens)
eastern tiger snake (NOTECHIS SCUTATUS SCUTATUS)
marsh snake (Hemiaspis signata)
Eastern Small Eyed Snake is a dangerously venomous species in the Elapid family. It is sometimes confused with the Red-Bellied Black Snake.
The head is slightly flattened and barely distinct from the solid body. The back, sides and top of the head and body are steely blue-black. The ventral colour ranges from cream (in the south) to bright coral pink (in the north), and is often flecked or blotched with black. This colouration is confined wholly to the ventral scales and does not show on the lower lateral rows. Scales are smooth and glossy. The eyes are small and darkly coloured.
Midbody scales in 15 rows, ventrals 165-210, anal and subcaudal scales single.
Nocturnal: Most likely to be seen at night
common death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus)
eastern tiger snake (NOTECHIS SCUTATUS SCUTATUS)
eastern tiger snake (NOTECHIS SCUTATUS SCUTATUS)
The Common Death Adder is a dangerously venomous Elapid.
The Common Death Adder is easily recognised by its triangular-shaped head, short stout body and thin tail.
Death adders are very stocky with a triangular-shaped head, growing to an average of 40-100cm in length. Colouration depends on the areas on where they are found, though they tend to have variations of red, brown, or black, with a grey, cream, or pink-coloured belly.
Not commonly seen on Sunshine Coast, rarely seen in hinterland areas in thick ground cover.
Nocturnal and diurnal: seen during night and day depending on temperatures
eastern tiger snake (NOTECHIS SCUTATUS SCUTATUS)
eastern tiger snake (NOTECHIS SCUTATUS SCUTATUS)
eastern tiger snake (NOTECHIS SCUTATUS SCUTATUS)
These dangerously venomous Elapid snakes come in shades of brown to olive with numerous distinct bands of irregular widths covering the snake from the nape to tail tip. The banding on Tiger Snakes can vary from pale-cream to a copper-orange colour. These snakes are relatively stocky in build and have relatively large scales. The head of the Tiger Snake is characteristically broad and they will use this to their advantage when threatened; flattening the head and throat, similar to that of a cobra.
Not commonly seen on Sunshine Coast.
Nocturnal: most likely to be seen at night
Python
Coastal Carpet Python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli)
Perhaps the most commonly encountered snake here on the Sunshine Coast. Carpet Pythons are non venomous and have no fangs, but do have teeth.
They are a moderate to heavy build an are highly variable in colour and pattern.
These snake reach an average size of 2.5m but can reach up to 4m.
Usually very reluctant to bite if left alone. Very skilled climber and most common snake found in rooves.
Diurnal: Most likely to be seen during the day