Demansia
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''Demansia'' is a
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
venomous snake ''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 ...
s of the
family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Elapidae Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids , from , variant of "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 '' Emydocephalus ...
. Members of the genus are commonly known as whip snakes or whipsnakes, as are members of several other
genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...
.


Description

All
species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of the genus ''Demansia'' are gray, brown, gray-green, or beige, save for ''
Demansia psammophis The yellow-faced whip snake (''Demansia psammophis'') is a species of venomous snake in the Family (biology), family Elapidae, a family containing many dangerous snakes. ''D. psammophis'' is endemic to Australia, found throughout the continent i ...
'' (yellow-faced whip snake), which may be cream-coloured. Whip snakes are long and slender. They have large eyes and relatively small heads that are only slightly wider than their bodies. All species in the genus ''Demansia'' are
venomous Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
.


Distribution

Whip snakes of the genus ''Demansia'' are found in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...
in the area around
Port Moresby (; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New ...
, and nearby islands.


Diet

''Demansia'' whip snakes eat mainly lizards. They are diurnal (active in the day) and use their keen eyesight to hunt. Their prey dies quickly from the effects of the snake's
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
.


Interaction with humans

In 2007 a man died after being bitten by a whip snake in Victoria. Their bites are generally regarded as akin to a bee sting and relatively harmless, but the man became woozy and went into cardiac arrest before paramedics arrived.


Species

The following 15 species are recognized as being valid.. www.reptile-database.org. *''
Demansia angusticeps The narrow-headed whipsnake (''Demansia angusticeps'') is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids , from , variant of "sea-fish") is a family of snakes characterized by their permanently ere ...
'' – narrow-headed whipsnake *''
Demansia calodera The black-necked whipsnake (''Demansia calodera'') is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. It is endemic to Western Australia. It can reach in snout–vent length Snout–vent length (SVL) is a morphometric measurement taken ...
'' – black-necked whipsnake *''
Demansia cyanochasma The desert whip snake (''Demansia cyanochasma'') is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae, identified as a new species in 2023. The species is endemic to Australia. Its venom is mild and not deadly for humans. Etymology The specif ...
'' – desert whipsnake *''
Demansia flagellatio The long-tailed whip snake (''Demansia flagellatio''), also known as the Carpentarian whipsnake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids , from , variant of "sea-fish") is a family of snak ...
'' – long-tailed whipsnake *''
Demansia olivacea The olive whipsnake (''Demansia olivacea'') is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids , from , variant of "sea-fish") is a family of snakes characterized by their permanently erect fangs at ...
'' – olive whipsnake *''
Demansia papuensis The greater black whipsnake (''Demansia papuensis'') is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. Description ''D. papuensis'' has a constant light to dark brown or black colouration, and a tan coloured head with small dark spots. The ...
'' – greater black whipsnake *''
Demansia psammophis The yellow-faced whip snake (''Demansia psammophis'') is a species of venomous snake in the Family (biology), family Elapidae, a family containing many dangerous snakes. ''D. psammophis'' is endemic to Australia, found throughout the continent i ...
'' – yellow-faced whipsnake *''
Demansia quaesitor The sombre whip snake (''Demansia quaesitor'') is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids , from , variant of "sea-fish") is a family of snakes characterized by their permanently erect fangs ...
'' – sombre whipsnake *''
Demansia reticulata The reticulated whip snake (''Demansia reticulata'') is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids , from , variant of "sea-fish") is a family of snakes characterized by their permanently erect ...
'' – reticulated whipsnake *'' Demansia rimicola'' – soil-crack whipsnake *'' Demansia rufescens'' – rufous whip snake *'' Demansia shinei'' – Shine's whipsnake *'' Demansia simplex'' – grey whipsnake *'' Demansia torquata'' – collared whipsnake *'' Demansia vestigiata'' – lesser black whipsnake ''
Nota bene ( ; plural: ) is the Latin language, Latin phrase meaning ''note well''. In manuscripts, ''nota bene'' is abbreviated in upper-case as NB and N.B., and in lower-case as n.b. and nb; the editorial usages of ''nota bene'' and ''notate bene'' fi ...
'': A
binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...
in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Demansia''.


See also

* Whip snake (disambiguation)


References


Further reading

* Gray JE (1842). "Description of some hitherto unrecorded species of Australian Reptiles and Batrachians". ''Zoological Miscellany'' 2: 51-57. (''Demansia'', new genus, p. 54). {{Taxonbar, from=Q195290 Snake genera Taxa named by John Edward Gray