Based on the median lethal dose value in mice, the venom of the inland taipan is by far the most toxic of any snake – much more so than even that of sea snakes[11][12][13] – and it has the most toxic venom of any reptile when tested on human heart cell culture.[14][15][16] The inland taipan is a specialist hunter of mammals, so its venom is specially adapted to kill warm-blooded species.[17] One bite possesses enough lethality to kill more than an estimated 100 fully grown humans.[18] It is an extremely fast and agile snake that can strike instantly with extreme accuracy,[19] often striking multiple times in the same attack,[20] and it envenomates in almost every case.[21]
Although the most venomous and a capable striker, in contrast to the coastal taipan, which many experts cite as an extremely dangerous snake due to its behaviour when it encounters humans,[22][23][24] the inland taipan is usually quite a shy and reclusive snake, with a placid disposition,[25] and prefers to escape from trouble.[26] However, it will defend itself and strike if provoked,[27] mishandled,[28] or prevented from escaping.[29] Because it lives in such remote locations, the inland taipan seldom comes in contact with people;[30] therefore it is not considered the deadliest snake in the world overall, especially in terms of disposition and human deaths per year.[31] The word "fierce" from its alternative name describes its venom, not its temperament.[32]
Taxonomy
To the Aboriginal people from the place now called Goyder Lagoon in north-east South Australia, the inland taipan was called dandarabilla.[8][9]
The inland taipan was first described scientifically in 1879. Two specimens[10] of the fierce snake were discovered at the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers in northwestern Victoria and described by Frederick McCoy, who called the species Diemenia microlepidota, or small-scaledbrown snake. In 1882, a third specimen was found near Bourke, New South Wales, and William John Macleay described the same snake under the name Diemenia ferox (thinking it was a different species[33]).[5][7] No more specimens were collected until 1972.[8][10] In 1896, George Albert Boulenger classified both as belonging to the same genus, Pseudechis (black snakes), referring to them as Pseudechis microlepidotus and P. ferox.[5]
In 1956, relying only on published descriptions and notes,[33]James Roy Kinghorn regarded ferox as a synonym for microlepidotus and proposed the genusParademansia. In 1963, Eric Worrell considered Parademansia microlepidotus and Oxyuranus scutellatus (coastal taipan, named simply "taipan" in those days) to be the same species.[5]
In September 1972, after receiving an unclassified snake head sample from a grazier from one of the Channel Country stations west of Windorah of the far southwest Queensland, herpetologists Jeanette Covacevich (then working for the Queensland Museum) and Charles Tanner travelled to the site and found 13 living specimens, and rediscovered the lost snake Parademansia microlepidotus.[10] In 1976, Covacevich and Wombey argued that Parademansia microlepidotus belongs to a distinct genus, and this was also the opinion of Harold Cogger.[5]
Covacevich, McDowell, Tanner & Mengden (1981) successfully argued, by comparing anatomical features, chromosomes, and behaviours of the two species then known as Oxyuranus scutellatus (taipan) and Parademansia microlepidota, that they belonged in a single genus. Oxyuranus (1923), the more senior name, was adopted for the combined genus.[34]
Oxyuranus microlepidotus has been the fierce snake's binomial name since the early 1980s.[34][35] The generic name Oxyuranus is from Greek oxys "sharp, needle-like", and ouranos "an arch" (specifically the arch of the heavens) and refers to the needle-like anterior process on the arch of the palate.[36] The specific namemicrolepidotus means "small-scaled" (Latin). Hence the common name, "small-scaled snake".[37] Since Covacevich et al., 1981, determined that the fierce snake (formerly: Parademansia microlepidota) is actually part of the genus Oxyuranus (taipan), another species, Oxyuranus scutellatus, which was previously known simply as the "taipan" (coined from the aboriginal snake's name dhayban), was renamed the "coastal taipan" (or "eastern taipan"), while the now newly classified Oxyuranus microlepidotus became commonly known as the "inland taipan" (or "western taipan").[10]
Two old records exist for localities further south-east, i.e., the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers in northwestern Victoria (1879) and Bourke, New South Wales (1882), but the species has not been observed in either state since then.[2][7]
Conservation status for the snake was assessed for the IUCN Red List for the first time in July 2017, and in 2018, was designated as least concern, stating, "This species is listed as least concern, as it is widespread and overall, it is not considered to be declining. Although the impact of potential threats requires further research, these are likely to be localized within the snake's range."[1]
The inland taipan's conservation status has also been designated by Australian official sources:[47]
South Australia: (Outback regional status) - least concern[45]
Queensland: Rare (before 2010), near threatened (May 2010-December 2014), least concern (December 2014 – present)[48][49]
New South Wales: Presumed extinct, because it "hasn't been recorded in its habitat...despite surveys in a time frame appropriate to their life cycle and type"[32][50]
Victoria: Regionally extinct, based on the criterion: "As for Extinct but within a defined region (in this case the state of Victoria) that does not encompass the entire geographic range of the taxon. A taxon is presumed Regionally Extinct when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate ), throughout the region have failed to record an individual. Surveys should be over a time frame appropriate to the taxon’s life cycle and life form."[51] The Australian Museum lists it as presumed extinct.[7]
In New South Wales, private ownership of an inland taipan is legal only with the highest class of venomous reptile licence.[71]
Description
Brown-coloured (winter)Olive-coloured (summer)
The inland taipan is dark tan, ranging from a rich, dark hue to a brownish light green, depending on the season. Its back, sides, and tail may be different shades of brown and grey, with many scales having a wide, blackish edge. These dark-marked scales occur in diagonal rows so that the marks align to form broken chevrons of variable length that are inclined backward and downward. The lowermost lateral scales often have an anterior yellow edge. The dorsal scales are smooth and without keels. The round-snouted head and neck are usually noticeably darker than the body (glossy black in winter; dark brown in summer), the darker colour allowing the snake to heat itself while exposing only a smaller portion of the body at the burrow entrance. The eyes are of average size with blackish-brown irises and without a noticeable coloured rim around the pupils.
The inland taipan averages about 1.8m (5.9ft) in total length, although larger specimens can reach total lengths of 2.5m (8.2ft).[72] Its fangs are between 3.5 and 6.2mm long (shorter than those of the coastal taipan).[30]
Seasonal adaptation
Inland taipans adapt to their environments by changing the colour of their skin during seasonal changes. They tend to become lighter during the summer and darker during the winter. This seasonal colour change facilitates thermoregulation, allowing the snake to absorb more radiant heat in the colder months.
Breeding
Inland taipans produce clutches of one to two dozen eggs. The eggs hatch in about two months. They are usually laid in abandoned animal burrows and deep crevices. Reproduction rate depend in part on their diet: if not enough food is available, then the snake reproduces less.
Captive snakes generally live for 10 to 15 years. An inland taipan at the Australia Zoo lived to be over 20 years old.[30]
Feeding
In the wild, the inland taipan consumes only mammals,[73][74] mostly rodents, such as the long-haired rat (Rattus villosissimus), the plains rat (Pseudomys australis), the introduced house mouse (Mus musculus), and other dasyurids. In captivity, it may also eat day-old chicks.[7] Unlike other venomous snakes that strike with a single, accurate bite then retreat while waiting for the prey to die, the fierce snake subdues the prey with a series of rapid, accurate strikes. It is known to deliver up to eight venomous bites in a single attack,[7][32] often snapping its jaws fiercely several times to inflict multiple punctures in the same attack.[20] Its more risky attack strategy entails holding its prey with its body and biting it repeatedly. This injects the extremely toxic venom deep into the prey. The venom acts so rapidly that its prey does not have time to fight back.[75]
Many reptile keepers consider it a placid snake to handle.[7]
Inland taipans are rarely encountered in the wild by the average person because of their remoteness and brief above-ground appearance during the day. So long as a person is not creating much vibration and noise, the inland taipan may not feel alarmed or bothered by a human presence.[78][79][80] However, caution should be exercised and a safe distance maintained as it can inflict a potentially fatal bite. The inland taipan will defend itself and strike if provoked,[27] mishandled,[28] or prevented from escaping.[29] Firstly, but not always, it makes a threat display by raising its forebody in a tight low S-shaped curve with its head facing the threat. Should the person choose to ignore the warning, the inland taipan will strike.[7][29][81] It is an extremely fast and agile snake that can strike instantly with extreme accuracy,[29][82] and it envenoms in almost every case.[21]
Clinical toxicologist, venom researcher, herpetologist, and family physician Scott A. Weinstein[83] et al. have stated in Toxicon journal (October 2017) "There have been 11 previously well-documented envenomings by O. microlepidotus, but only 2 were inflicted by wild snakes. When clinically indicated, prompt provision of adequate antivenom is the cornerstone of managing O. microlepidotus envenoming. Rapid application of pressure-bandage immobilization and efficient retrieval of victims envenomed in remote locales, preferably by medically well-equipped aircraft, probably improves the likelihood of a positive outcome."[84]
Snakebite victims
A case of survival without antivenom was recorded in 1967; on 15 September, a tour guide was bitten while trying to capture a snake for a tour group in the Channel Country. He was conveyed to Broken Hill Hospital and then to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide, but was not given antivenom, as he reported he was severely allergic to horse serum and believed he had been bitten by a brown snake. He spent four weeks in the hospital overall; his condition was likened to severe myasthenia gravis. Meanwhile, the snake had been sent to Eric Worrell, who confirmed it had been a coastal taipan.[85] After its rediscovery in 1972, it was identified as an inland taipan.[10]
In 1984, Australian toxicologist Peter Mirtschin was bitten by a 3-week-old inland taipan. He was the first to be treated with Taipan antivenom.[86]
In September 2012, in the small city of Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, north of Sydney, more than 1000 km away from the snake's natural environment, a teenaged boy was bitten on the finger by an inland taipan. The teenager's rapid self-application of a compression bandage above the wound[87] and the availability and administration of a polyvalent (broad-spectrum) antivenom in the local hospital saved his life. The police worked to find out how the inland taipan got to this part of Australia. The snake was most likely a stolen or illegal pet and the boy had tried to feed it.[88][89]
In December 2013, reptile handler Scott Grant (age 40+), who was conducting a demonstration in front of 300 people at the annual building union's picnic in Portland, Victoria, had just finished showing the crowd an inland taipan and was trying to put it into a bag when it struck him. He got into his utility and tied a bandage around his arm. A few minutes later, however, he was lying on the ground and convulsing. He was flown in a serious condition to Essendon Airport and driven to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where his condition was stabilised, and over time, he recovered. Only a tiny amount of venom from the inland taipan had entered his body, and the adverse reaction he felt shortly after was an allergic one, presumably due to his past snake bites.[90][91][92][93]
In October 2017, Weinstein et al. published a case report in Toxicon, writing, "The victim was seeking to observe members of an isolated population of this species and was envenomed while attempting to photograph an approximately 1.5 m specimen. He reported feeling “drowsiness” and blurred vision that progressed to ptosis; he later developed dysphagia and dysarthria. The patient was treated with one vial of polyvalent antivenom, which was later followed by an additional two vials of taipan monovalent. He was intubated during retrieval, and recovered after 3 days of intensive care. He had a right ophthalmoplegia that persisted for approximately 1 week post-envenoming.".[84]
According to Rob Bredl, "the Barefoot Bushman", in an isolated area of South Australia, his father, Joe Bredl, was bitten while catching an inland taipan and barely survived. A more recent victim was his friend John Robinson, bitten while cleaning an inland taipan's cage at his reptile display on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. He weathered the bite without antivenom, but sustained considerable muscle damage, as well as heart damage.[94]
Almost all positively identified inland taipan bite victims have been herpetologists handling the snakes for study or snake handlers, such as people who catch snakes to extract their venom, or keepers in wildlife parks. All were treated successfully with antivenom. No recorded incidents have been fatal since the advent of monovalent (specific) antivenom therapy,[6][30][95] though weeks are needed to recover from such a severe bite.[37][96]
Venom
The average quantity of venom delivered by this species is 44mg, and the maximum dose recorded is 110mg, compared to the Indian cobra (Naja naja) 169mg/max 610mg, and the North American eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) 410mg/max 848mg.[97]
The median lethal dose (LD50), subcutaneous (the most applicable to actual bites) for mice is 0.025mg/kg[6][97] (0.01mg/kg subcutaneous, in bovine serum albumin).[6][98] Compared to the beaked sea snake (Enhydrina schistosa) 0.164mg/kg, Indian cobra 0.565mg/kg, North American eastern diamondback rattlesnake 11.4mg/kg,[97] the inland taipan has a smaller venom yield than its cousin the coastal taipan yet its venom is almost four times as toxic.[31][99] One bite's worth of venom is enough to kill 100 fully grown men.
Belcher's sea snake (Hydrophis belcheri), which many times is mistakenly called the hook-nosed sea snake (Enhydrina schistosa), has been erroneously popularized as the most venomous snake in the world, due to Ernst and Zug's published book Snakes in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book from 1996. Bryan Grieg Fry, a prominent venom expert, has clarified the error: "The hook-nosed myth was due to a fundamental error in a book called Snakes in Question. In there, all the toxicity testing results were lumped in together, regardless of the mode of testing (e.g. subcutaneous vs. intramuscular vs. intravenous vs. intraperitoneal). As the mode can influence the relative number, venoms can only be compared within a mode. Otherwise, it's apples and rocks."[13] Belcher's sea snake's actual LD50 (recorded only intramuscularly) is 0.24mg/kg[101] and 0.155mg/kg,[100] less lethal than other sea snakes such as the olive sea snake (Aipysurus laevis) 0.09mg/kg and the most toxic intramuscularly, recorded of the sea snakes – the black-banded robust sea snake (Hydrophis melanosoma) 0.082mg/kg. The black-banded robust sea snake has also been tested subcutaneously registering at 0.111mg/kg, which is in line with the coastal taipan and thus more than four times less toxic than the inland taipan's venom. In the LD50 subcutaneous test, it is actually Dubois' sea snake (Aipysurus duboisii) which has the most toxic venom of any of the sea snakes tested, registering at 0.044mg/kg. This is still nearly half as lethal as the inland taipan's venom.[100]
The biological properties and toxicity of a baby inland taipan's venom are not significantly different from or weaker than those of an adult's.[76][102]
Possibly haemorrhagins[105] – affecting the blood vessels (endothelium)
Hyaluronidase enzyme – increases the rate of absorption of venom[7]
Paradoxin (PDX) appears to be one of the most potent, if not the most potent, beta-neurotoxins yet discovered. Beta-neurotoxins keep nerve endings from liberating the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.[98]
According to researcher Ronelle Welton of James Cook University, most of the contents in the venom have not been characterized and little molecular research has been undertaken on taipan (Oxyuranus) species at large. As of 2005, the amino acid sequences of only seven proteins from inland taipan have been submitted to SWISS-PROT databases.[37]
The first local and general symptoms of a bite are local pain and variable nonspecific effects, which may include headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, dizziness, collapse, or convulsions leading to major organ effects - neurotoxicity, coagulopathy, rhabdomyolysis or kidney failure/damage, and finally death.[81][106]
Inland taipan snake venom contains potent presynaptic neurotoxins (toxins in venom that cause paralysis or muscle weakness). Also present are postsynaptic neurotoxins, which are less potent, but more rapidly acting than the presynaptic neurotoxins.[107] Presynaptic neurotoxins disrupt neurotransmitter release from the axon terminal. This takes days to resolve and does not respond to antivenom. Postsynaptic neurotoxins competitively block acetylcholine receptors, but the effect can be reversed by antivenom. Envenoming causes a progressive descending flaccid paralysis; ptosis is usually the first sign, then facial (dysarthria) and bulbar involvement occur, progressing to dyspnea and respiratory paralysis leading to suffocation and peripheral weakness.[37][106] Because it can act so fast, it can kill a person within about 45 minutes. People experiencing effects of the venom within half an hour have been reported.[108][96] The development of general or respiratory paralysis is of paramount concern in that these are often difficult to reverse once established, even with large amounts of antivenom. Prolonged intubation and ventilatory support (perhaps up to a week or longer) may be required. Early diagnosis of neurotoxic symptoms and prompt and adequate dosages of antivenom are critical to avoid these complications.[82]
The venom also contains a potent hemotoxin (procoagulants), a prothrombin activator that leads to the consumption of major coagulation factors, including fibrinogen, leading to interference with blood clotting. This causes defibrination, with nonclottable blood, putting victims at risk of major bleeding from the bite site and can lead to more serious, sometimes fatal, internal haemorrhaging, especially in the brain. Recovering from this takes many hours after venom neutralisation has been achieved with antivenom.[106] Taipan snake procoagulants are among the most powerful snake venom procoagulants known,[107] though mild coagulopathy has also been reported for inland taipan envenomation (Sutherland and Tibballs, 2001).[37]
No nephrotoxins (kidney toxins) have so far been isolated from inland taipan snake venoms, but renal (kidney) impairment or acute kidney failure can occur secondary to severe rhabdomyolysis.[106]
Taipan snake venom does contain myotoxins that cause myolysis (rhabdomyolysis, muscle damage);[107] the urine of bite victims often turns reddish-brown as their muscles release myoglobin, which is passed through the kidneys (myoglobinuria). The kidneys are often badly damaged by filtering so much tissue debris out of the blood, and kidney failure is a common complication in serious cases of significant envenoming.[109]
Until 1955, the only antivenom available for general distribution for Australian snakes was the monovalent (specific) tiger snake (Notechis) antivenom, which gave varying degrees of cross-protection against the bites of most other dangerous Australian snakes. Thereafter followed specific antivenom for other common snakes, among them the coastal taipan, and finally, a polyvalent (broad-spectrum) antivenom for the bites of any unidentified snake from Australia.
The coastal taipan antivenom, known as "taipan antivenom",[110] is effective against the inland taipan venom, as well, but it is not as effective in bite victims of the inland taipan as in those of the coastal taipan.[37]
Atracidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders, commonly known as Australian funnel-web spiders or atracids. It has been included as a subfamily of the Hexathelidae, but is now recognised as a separate family. All members of the family are native to Australia. Atracidae consists of three genera: Atrax, Hadronyche, and Illawarra, comprising 35 species. Some members of the family produce venom that is dangerous to humans, and bites by spiders of six of the species have caused severe injuries to victims. The bites of the Sydney funnel-web spider and northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider are potentially deadly, but no fatalities have occurred since the introduction of modern first-aid techniques and antivenom.
Antivenom, also known as antivenin, venom antiserum, and antivenom immunoglobulin, is a specific treatment for envenomation. It is composed of antibodies and used to treat certain venomous bites and stings. Antivenoms are recommended only if there is significant toxicity or a high risk of toxicity. The specific antivenom needed depends on the species involved. It is given by injection.
Mambas are fast-moving, highly venomous snakes of the genus Dendroaspis in the family Elapidae. Four extant species are recognised currently; three of those four species are essentially arboreal and green in colour, whereas the black mamba, Dendroaspis polylepis, is largely terrestrial and generally brown or grey in colour. All are native to various regions in sub-Saharan Africa and all are feared throughout their ranges, especially the black mamba. In Africa there are many legends and stories about mambas.
Taipans are snakes of the genus Oxyuranus in the elapid family. They are large, fast-moving, highly venomous, and endemic to Australia and New Guinea. Three species are recognised, one of which, the coastal taipan, has two subspecies. Taipans are some of the deadliest known snakes.
A snakebite is an injury caused by the bite of a snake, especially a venomous snake. A common sign of a bite from a venomous snake is the presence of two puncture wounds from the animal's fangs. Sometimes venom injection from the bite may occur. This may result in redness, swelling, and severe pain at the area, which may take up to an hour to appear. Vomiting, blurred vision, tingling of the limbs, and sweating may result. Most bites are on the hands, arms, or legs. Fear following a bite is common with symptoms of a racing heart and feeling faint. The venom may cause bleeding, kidney failure, a severe allergic reaction, tissue death around the bite, or breathing problems. Bites may result in the loss of a limb or other chronic problems or even death.
The eastern brown snake, often referred to as the common brown snake, is a species of extremely venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to eastern and central Australia and southern New Guinea. It was first described by André Marie Constant Duméril, Gabriel Bibron, and Auguste Duméril in 1854. The adult eastern brown snake has a slender build and can grow to 2 m (7 ft) in length. The colour of its surface ranges from pale brown to black, while its underside is pale cream-yellow, often with orange or grey splotches. The eastern brown snake is found in most habitats except dense forests, often in farmland and on the outskirts of urban areas, as such places are populated by its main prey, the house mouse. The species is oviparous. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the snake as a least-concern species, though its status in New Guinea is unclear.
The black mamba is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. It is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. First formally described by Albert Günther in 1864, it is the second-longest venomous snake after the king cobra; mature specimens generally exceed 2 m and commonly grow to 3 m (9.8 ft). Specimens of 4.3 to 4.5 m have been reported. Its skin colour varies from grey to dark brown. Juvenile black mambas tend to be paler than adults and darken with age. Despite the common name, the skin of a black mamba is not black, but rather describes the inside of its mouth, which it displays when feeling threatened.
Hydrophis belcheri, commonly known as the faint-banded sea snake or Belcher's sea snake, is an extremely venomous species of elapid sea snake. It has a timid temperament and would normally have to be subjected to severe mistreatment before biting. Usually those bitten are fishermen handling nets, although only one-quarter of those bitten are envenomated since the snake rarely injects much of its venom. Although not much is known about the venom of this species, its LD50 toxicity in mice has been determined to be 0.24 mg/kg when delivered intramuscularly.
Venomous snakes are species of the suborder Serpentes that are capable of producing venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The venom is typically delivered by injection using hollow or grooved fangs, although some venomous snakes lack well-developed fangs. Common venomous snakes include the families Elapidae, Viperidae, Atractaspididae, and some of the Colubridae. The toxicity of venom is mainly indicated by murine LD50, while multiple factors are considered to judge the potential danger to humans. Other important factors for risk assessment include the likelihood that a snake will bite, the quantity of venom delivered with the bite, the efficiency of the delivery mechanism, and the location of a bite on the body of the victim. Snake venom may have both neurotoxic and hemotoxic properties. There are about 600 venomous snake species in the world.
Pseudonaja is a genus of highly venomous elapid snakes native to Australia. Species of this genus are known commonly as brown snakes and are considered to be some of the most dangerous snakes in the world; even young snakes are capable of delivering a fatal envenomation to a human.
Naja is a genus of venomous elapid snakes commonly known as cobras. Members of the genus Naja are the most widespread and the most widely recognized as "true" cobras. Various species occur in regions throughout Africa, Southwest Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Several other elapid species are also called "cobras", such as the king cobra and the rinkhals, but neither is a true cobra, in that they do not belong to the genus Naja, but instead each belong to monotypic genera Hemachatus and Ophiophagus.
Collett's snake, also commonly known as Collett's black snake, Collett's cobra, or Down's tiger snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Australia. Collett's snake is capable of delivering a fatal bite and is considered the nineteenth most venomous snake in the world.
Taipoxin is a potent myo- and neurotoxin that was isolated from the venom of the coastal taipan Oxyuranus scutellatus or also known as the common taipan. Taipoxin like many other pre-synaptic neurotoxins are phospholipase A2 (PLA2) toxins, which inhibit/complete block the release of the motor transmitter acetylcholine and lead to death by paralysis of the respiratory muscles (asphyxia). It is the most lethal neurotoxin isolated from any snake venom to date.
The Central Ranges taipan, or Western Desert taipan, is a species of taipan that was described in 2007 by Australian researchers Paul Doughty, Brad Maryan, Stephen Donnellan, and Mark Hutchinson. Taipans are large, fast, extremely venomous Australasian snakes. The Central Ranges taipan was named one of the top-five new species of 2007 by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University.
The blue-bellied black snake, also known commonly as the spotted black snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Australia.
Aipysurus duboisii, also known commonly as Dubois' sea snake and the reef shallows sea snake, is a species of extremely venomous snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. Its geographic range includes Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and the northern, eastern and western coastal areas of Australia, that is the Coral Sea, Arafura Sea, Timor Sea and Indian Ocean. It lives at depths up to 80 meters in coral reef flats, sandy and silty sediments which contain seaweed, invertebrates and corals or sponges that can serve as shelter. It preys upon moray eels and various fish that live on the seafloor, up to 110 cm in size. A. duboisii is viviparous, giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs. It displays medium aggressiveness, i.e., will bite if provoked, but not spontaneously. The fangs are 1.8 mm long, which are relatively short for a snake, and the venom yield is 0.43 mg. Aipysurus duboisii is a crepuscular species, meaning that it is most active at dawn and dusk.
The coastal taipan, or common taipan, is a species of extremely venomous snake in the family Elapidae. Described by Wilhelm Peters in 1867, the species is native to the coastal regions of northern and eastern Australia and the island of New Guinea. The second-longest venomous snake in Australia, the coastal taipan averages around 2.0 m (6.6 ft) long, with the longest specimens reaching 2.9 m (9.5 ft) in length. It has light olive or reddish-brown upperparts, with paler underparts. The snake is considered to be a least-concern species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The Papuan black snake is a venomous snake of the family Elapidae native to New Guinea. Reaching around 2 m in length, it is a predominantly black snake coloured grey underneath.
Jeanette Adelaide Covacevich (1945–2015) was a herpetologist in Queensland, Australia. As a senior curator of vertebrates at the Queensland Museum, she discovered and studied many reptiles and frogs in Queensland. Covacevich is most famous for rediscovering and describing the Inland Taipan snake, the world's most venomous snake. In addition, she described over thirty new species and genera including the Cape York striped blind snake, the Nangur spiny skink, and the Bulburin leaf-tailed gecko.
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Journal of Herpetology Vol.17 no.1 (1983) Ecology of Highly Venoumous Snakes: the Australian Genus Oxyuranus. "..the number of mouse LD50 doses per bite is much higher for Oxyuranus microlepidotus (218,000 mice)...than for any other snakes, including sea snakes, investigated to date (Broad, Sutherland and Coulter, 1979)." (page 1) University of Sydney. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
BBC Nature Wildlife. Inland Taipan page. "Australia's inland taipan is considered to be the most venomous snake in the world". BBC. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
Cecilie Beatson (29 November 2011). Animal Species: Inland Taipan "The venom of the Inland Taipan is extremely potent and is rated as the most toxic of all snake venoms in LD50 tests on mice". Australian Museum. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
Fry, Brian site admin (10 April 2005) Most VenomousArchived 2014-10-17 at the Wayback Machine , Question: " ...I was talking to another herpatolagist and he said the hook nosed sea snake was the most venomous of all" Fry Answers: "The hook nosed myth was due to a fundamental error in a book called 'Snakes in question'. In there, all the toxicity testing results were lumped in together, regardless of the mode of testing (e.g. subcutaneous vs. intramuscular vs intravenous vs intraperitoneal). As the mode can influence the relative number, venoms can only be compared within a mode. Otherwise, its apples and rocks." Venomdoc forums. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
kingsnake.com September Guest Chatter (16 September 2006).Q&A with Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry, Deputy Director, Australian Venom Research Unit, University of MelbourneArchived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine . "Q: In retrospect to the LD50 charts, what do you personally feel is the hottest snake, in regards to potency, defensiveness, means of injection, etc.? A: It is the inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus). Not, as is popularised, any of the sea snakes." connectedbypets.com. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
Garden of Eden Exotics (2 May 2012) Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry – Interview "...The inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) is far and away the most toxic, much more so than even sea snakes." nyexotics.blogspot.com. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
↑ Fry, BryanArchived 2014-04-19 at the Wayback Machine (8 February 2005) Most VenomousArchived 2014-10-17 at the Wayback Machine ,"Q;I was wondering what snakes venom is the most potent to humans A:Drop for drop it is the inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), which has a venom more toxic than any other land snake or even the sea snakes." venomdoc.com Forums, Retrieved 17 April 2014.
Journal of Herpetology Vol.17 no.1 (1983) Ecology of Highly Venoumous Snakes: the Australian Genus Oxyuranus. "..the number of mouse LD50 doses per bite is much higher for Oxyuranus microlepidotus (218,000 mice)...than for any other snakes, including sea snakes, investigated to date (Broad, Sutherland and Coulter, 1979)." (page 1) University of Sydney. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
Martin, Stella (January 2004). Newsletter No. 80. "It has been calculated that there is enough venom in just one bite of an Inland taipan to kill more than 100 men of average size." Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland). Retrieved 18 October 2013.
Clinical Toxinology Resources. Snakebite Protocols – Oxyuranus microlepidotus. "Signs and Symptoms of Envenomation:E. Fang Marks: The snake strikes with extraordinary speed and accuracy, often snapping its jaws fiercely several times which can result in multiple punctures in the same attack.", "Special Considerations:A. Multiple Bites: The Inland Taipan is an extremely fast and agile snake which can strike instantly with extreme accuracy. It is possible for a Taipan to deliver more than one bite in a single attack." University of Adelaide. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
Clinical Toxinology Resources. Snakebite Protocols – Oxyuranus microlepidotus. "Signs and Symptoms of Envenomation:E. Fang Marks: The snake strikes with extraordinary speed and accuracy, often snapping its jaws fiercely several times which can result in multiple punctures in the same attack.", "Special Considerations:A. Multiple Bites: The Inland Taipan is an extremely fast and agile snake which can strike instantly with extreme accuracy. It is possible for a Taipan to deliver more than one bite in a single attack." University of Adelaide. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
Cecilie Beatson (29 November 2011). Animal Species: Inland Taipan "The venom of the Inland Taipan is extremely potent and is rated as the most toxic of all snake venoms in LD50 tests on mice". Australian Museum. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
Cecilie Beatson (29 November 2011). Animal Species: Inland Taipan "The venom of the Inland Taipan is extremely potent and is rated as the most toxic of all snake venoms in LD50 tests on mice". Australian Museum. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
National Geographic Channel, (Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr), video clip. Deadliest Snakes / Inland Taipan "in Deadliest Snakes, Brady approaches seven of the world's most dangerous and venomous snakes to determine which snake is the deadliest. He will scientifically investigate each species of snake by grading them on five basic criteria: size, volume and toxicity of venom, personality, and number of human deaths." Reptile Gardens (video host). Retrieved 6 November 2013.
↑ Rob Bredl website. The Taipans. (archived) barefootbushman.com. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
↑ Barrett, Robyn; Little, Mark (October–December 2003). "Five years of snake envenoming in far north Queensland". Emergency Medicine. 15 (5–6): 500–510. doi:10.1046/j.1442-2026.2003.00509.x. PMID14992068.
1 2 3 Hodgson WC, Dal Belo CA, Rowan EG (2007). "The neuromuscular activity of paradoxin: a presynaptic neurotoxin from the venom of the inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus)". Neuropharmacology. 52 (5): 1229–36. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2007.01.002. PMID17313963. S2CID19532337. The inland taipan is the world's most venomous snake
↑ Tan, NH; Ponnudurai, G; Mirtschin, PJ (1993). "A comparative study of the biological properties of venoms from juvenile and adult inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) snake venoms". Toxicon. 31 (3): 363–7. doi:10.1016/0041-0101(93)90155-C. PMID8470140.
↑ Clarke, Carol; Kuruppu, Sanjaya; Reeve, Shane; Ian Smith, A.; Hodgson, Wayne C. (2006). "Oxylepitoxin-1, a reversible neurotoxin from the venom of the inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus)". Peptides. 27 (11): 2655–60. doi:10.1016/j.peptides.2006.06.003. PMID16879898. S2CID44544394.
↑ Kornhauser, Rachelle; Hart, Andrew J.; Reeve, Shane; Smith, A. Ian; Fry, Bryan G.; Hodgson, Wayne C. (2010). "Variations in the pharmacological profile of post-synaptic neurotoxins isolated from the venoms of the Papuan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni) and coastal (Oxyuranus scutellatus scutellatus) taipans". NeuroToxicology. 31 (2): 239–43. doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2009.12.009. PMID20036687.
Boulenger GA (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ),... London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (Pseudechis microlepidotus and P. ferox, p.332).
McCoy F(1879). Natural History of Victoria. Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria; or, Figures and Descriptions of the Living Species of All Classes of the Victorian Indigenous Animals. Decade III. London: G. Robertson. (J. Ferres, government printer, Melbourne). 50 pp. + Plates 21–30. (Diemenia microlepidota, new species, pp.12–13 + Plate 23, Figures 2–3).
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