Blue-bellied black snake

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Blue-bellied black snake
Pseudechis guttatus 223922861 (cropped).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Pseudechis
Species:
P. guttatus
Binomial name
Pseudechis guttatus
De Vis, 1905
Synonyms [2]
  • Pseudechis guttata
    De Vis, 1905
  • Pseudechis guttatus
    — Cogger, 1983

The blue-bellied black snake (Pseudechis guttatus), also known commonly as the spotted black snake, is a species of extremely venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to eastern Australia. The adult blue-bellied black snake can reach a total length of 1.5 meters. The colour of its surface is predominantly a dark blue or black colour, with the underside ranging from a dark grey to black. Some individuals can also be cream or pale grey in colouring with black-inflected scales, giving a spotted appearance. In all individuals the head is uniformly dark. [3] The blue-bellied black snake is found in most habitats including open forests, grasslands and wetlands. [4] It eats a variety of frogs, lizards and small mammals. The species is oviparous.

Contents

Description

On average, P. guttatus grows to a total length (including tail) of 1.2 m (3.9 ft), but some specimens have been found to measure as long as 1.5 m (4.9 ft). [5]

Distribution and habitat

P. guttatus is endemic to the inland areas of south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. [5] The preferred natural habitats of P. guttatus are grassland, shrubland, and savanna. [1]

Diet

P. guttatus is carnivorous. Its diet consists of frogs, lizards, and small mammals. [5]

Reproduction

P. guttatus, like most other snakes, is oviparous, laying 7–12 eggs during the breeding season. [5]

Venom

The average venom ejection of P. guttatus is unknown. The snake's venom is the second most toxic of all the Australian black snakes. It is naturally very shy, and will warn threats away by hissing loudly and flattening it's forebody into a low S-shape. It will not bite unless provoked (by being stepped on by a boot, prodded by a stick, etc.), and will hang onto the victim if it does. [3] A human, if bitten, may suffer severe pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, diaphoresis and regional lymphadenopathy at the location of the bite, similar to a red-bellied black snake's bite symptoms. [6] Bites are infrequent. If bitten, tiger snake antivenom is the preferred treatment. [7]

References

  1. 1 2 Hobson, R.; Wilson, S.; Sanderson, C. (2018). "Pseudechis guttatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018 e.T42493239A42493245. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T42493239A42493245.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Species Pseudechis guttatus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. 1 2 Beatson, Cecilie (3 November 2023). "Blue-bellied Black Snake". Australian Museum.
  4. ↑ Queensland Government (15 August 2025). "Snakes of South-East Queensland". Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Spotted Black Snake (Pseudechis guttatus)".
  6. ↑ Jansen, Melanie; McLeod, Monique; White, Julian; Isbister, Geoffrey K. (January 2007). "Spotted black snake (Pseudechis guttatus) envenoming" . Medical Journal of Australia. 186 (1): 41–42. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2007.tb00788.x. PMID   17229034. S2CID   27460738.
  7. ↑ "Australian Venom Research Unit". 13 January 2021.

Further reading


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