''Denisonia'' 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 in 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 ...
. The genus is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to
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 ...
, and contains two recognized
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), ...
.
Species
The following two species are recognized as being valid.
*''
Denisonia devisi'' – De Vis's banded snake, De Vis' banded snake, mud adder
*''
Denisonia maculata'' – ornamental snake
Etymology
The
generic name, ''Denisonia'', is in honor of
William Thomas Denison, mid 19th century governor of parts of Australia. The
specific name, ''devisi'', is in honor of
English herpetologist
Herpetology (from Ancient Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is a branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, salamanders, and caecilians (Gymnophiona)) and reptiles (in ...
Charles Walter De Vis
Charles Walter de Vis (9 May 1829 – 30 April 1915)
— Australian Dictionary of Biography
.
[ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (Genus ''Denisonia'', p. 69; species ''Denisonia devisi'', p. 71).]
References
External links
Genus ''Denisonia'' Krefft, 1869 Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Government.
Further reading
*
Krefft G (1869). ''The Snakes of Australia; An Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogue of All the Known Species.'' Sydney: Thomas Richards, Government Printer. xxv + 100 pp. + Plates I-XII. (''Denisonia'', new genus, pp. 82–83 + Plate XI, figure 4).
*
Waite ER,
Longman HA (1920). "Descriptions of Little-known Australian Snakes". ''Records of the South Australian Museum'' 1 (3): 173-180 + Plate XXVII. (''Denisonia maculata'' var. ''devisi'', new name, pp. 178–179, Text figure 36 + Plate XXVII, figure 2).
*
Wilson, Steve (2003). ''Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt''. Australia: World Wildlife Fund. pp. 33–34.
Snake genera
Taxa named by Gerard Krefft
Snakes of Australia
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