The desert death adder (''Acanthophis pyrrhus'') is a species of

snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...

native to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and is one of the most venomous land snakes in the world. The desert death adder is under threat due to the destruction of habitat.

Description

Desert death adders are members of the genus ''

Acanthophis ''Acanthophis'' is a genus of elapid snakes. Commonly called ''death adders'', they are native to Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands, and are among the most venomous snakes in the world. Despite their common name, they are not adder ...

'', highly venomous

elapid Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids ; grc, ἔλλοψ ''éllops'' "sea-fish") is a family of snakes characterized by their permanently erect fangs at the front of the mouth. Most elapids are venomous, with the exception of the genus Emydoceph ...

s with short and thick bodies, triangular heads, mobile fangs, and a thin tapering tail. They grow to lengths up to 70 centimeters, with a snout to vent length of 62 cm, and have a flattened appearance. Desert death adders are coloured brick-red, or yellow-reddish, with strong or inconspicuous yellow bands which are

camouflaged Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...

with their surroundings. The tail tip is used as a lure to attract potential prey and is distinctively darker in colour. Their fangs are longer than most of Australia's venomous snakes. The species was first described in 1898 by

George Albert Boulenger George Albert Boulenger (19 October 1858 – 23 November 1937) was a Belgian-British zoologist who described and gave scientific names to over 2,000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Boulenger was also an active botani ...

.Boulenger, G. A. 1898. Description of a new death adder (Acanthophis) from central Australia. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (7) 2: 75 cited by

Distribution and habitat

The desert death adder occurs from the coast of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

, to central regions as far south as

Kalgoorlie Kalgoorlie is a city in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, located east-northeast of Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway. It is sometimes referred to as Kalgoorlie–Boulder, as the surrounding urban area includ ...

and into the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

. The related species, the common or southern death adder, is found in a different range. Desert death adders are found living in remote areas, amongst porcupine grass, stony flats, sandy ridges and rocky outcrops of Central and Western Australia. In southwest Australia they occur in hummock grass in mallee.

Behaviour

The desert death adder only bites if the threat or prey is very close to them. They also use their bite to catch their prey. They are usually most active after dark, only occasionally being seen during the day. They may climb shrubs or grasses to bask in the morning, and are seen on roads near outlying urban areas. Desert death adders feed on lizards, especially skinks and dragons, and small mammals. They are attracted to the snake, which may lie in a patient ambush for days, by the wiggling of the lure at the tip of the tail like its sister species, the

common death adder The common death adder (''Acanthophis antarcticus'') is a species of death adder native to Australia. It is one of the most venomous land snakes in Australia and globally. While it remains widespread (unlike related species), it is facing increa ...

. When moved it bears a striking resemblance to a worm or caterpillar and is thus a tempting morsel for a passing lizard.

Venom

Desert death adders have large fangs, and their glands produce a considerable quantity of toxic venom. Today, it rarely is the cause of snake bites in Australia. They are regarded as very dangerous. The venom is most significantly neurotoxin, which once had a 50% mortality rate.

Reproduction

Desert death adders mate during spring or early summer, with the babies being produced in late summer or early autumn. Unlike most other snakes, desert death adders give birth to live young. Up to 13 live young may be produced in each litter.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2723210 Acanthophis Reptiles of Western Australia Snakes of Australia