The white-lipped snake (''Drysdalia coronoides'') is a small
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
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 ...
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 species 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 south-eastern mainland
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
Tasmania
Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
.
Description
''D. coronoides'' is the smallest of three species of snake found in
Tasmania
Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
, and is Australia's most cold-tolerant snake, even inhabiting areas on
Mount Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko ( ; ; Ngarigo: ) is the highest mountain of the mainland Australia, at above sea level. It is located on the Main Range of the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park, a part of the Australian Alps National Parks and ...
above the snow line. Growing to only about in length (including tail), it feeds almost exclusively on
skink
Skinks are a type of lizard belonging to the family (biology), family Scincidae, a family in the Taxonomic rank, infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one o ...
s.
It belongs to the genus ''
Drysdalia
''Drysdalia'' is a genus of snakes, commonly known as crowned snakes, belonging to the family Elapidae. The three species in this genus are venomous snakes, but not considered deadly.
Geographic range
Species of the genus ''Drysdalia'' are end ...
'', and is often referred to as the whip snake in Tasmania (whip snake in mainland Australia usually refers to snakes from the genus ''
Demansia
''Demansia'' is a genus of venomous snakes of the Family (biology), family Elapidae. Members of the genus are commonly known as whip snakes or whipsnakes, as are members of several other Genus, genera.
Description
All species of the genus ''De ...
'' which are only found on the mainland). The species gets its
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often con ...
from a thin, white line that runs along the upper lip, bordered above by a narrow black line.
''D. coronoides'' is
viviparous
In animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the mother, with the maternal circulation providing for the metabolic needs of the embryo's development, until the mother gives birth to a fully or partially developed juve ...
.
[
]
References
Further reading
* 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 (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (''Denisonia coronoides'', new combination, pp. 336–337).
* Cogger HG (2014). ''Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition''. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. .
* Günther A (1858). ''Catalogue of the Colubrine Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum''. London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xvi + 281 pp. (''Hoplocephalus coronoides'', new species, pp. 215–216).
*Wilson, Steve; Swan, Gerry (2013). ''A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition''. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. .
External links
*''Drysdalia coronoides''. The Encyclopedia of Life
EOL.org
coronoides
Reptiles described in 1858
Taxa named by Albert Günther
Snakes of Australia
{{Elapidae-stub