Elapidae
Black-striped Burrowing Snake
VenomousNeelaps calonotos
The Black-striped Burrowing Snake (Neelaps calonotos) is a venomous snake in the Elapidae family, recorded in 1 country.
If you are bitten
This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Family
- Elapidae
- Danger
- high
About the Black-striped Burrowing Snake
Neelaps calonotos, also known commonly as the black-striped burrowing snake, the black-striped snake, and the western black-striped snake, is a species of mildly venomous burrowing snake endemic to Australia. The specific epithet calonotos ("beautiful-backed") refers to the patterning on the upper surface of the body.
Description
Neelaps calonotos rarely grows to a length (including tail) of more than 28 cm (11 in), and is considered to be Australia's smallest venomous snake. Females are larger than males. Dorsally, it is reddish-orange, with a narrow black stripe along the back. The belly is whitish. Three black patches cover the snout, top of the head, and the nape.
Reproduction
Neelaps calonotos is oviparous, with an average clutch size of four (range 2–6).
Behaviour and diet
Neelaps calonotos is nocturnal, staying in loose sand during the day and preying on small animals such as lizards at night.
Geographic range and habitat
Neelaps calonotos occurs in coastal south-western Western Australia. It lives in dunes as well as open woodlands and shrublands with sandy soils.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Black-striped Burrowing Snake
- Is the Black-striped Burrowing Snake venomous?
- Yes. The Black-striped Burrowing Snake (Neelaps calonotos) is venomous and belongs to the Elapidae family (cobra, mamba, coral or sea snake). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
- Is the Black-striped Burrowing Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Black-striped Burrowing Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Black-striped Burrowing Snake dangerous?
- This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Where does the Black-striped Burrowing Snake live?
- The Black-striped Burrowing Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Australia. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- What does the Black-striped Burrowing Snake eat?
- Neelaps calonotos is nocturnal, staying in loose sand during the day and preying on small animals such as lizards at night.
If you are bitten by the Black-striped Burrowing Snake
Do
- Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
- Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
- Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
- Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
- Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
- Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
Do not
- Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
- Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
- Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
- Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.
First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.
Where it is found
More Elapidae snakes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
Keep learning
- Are Snakes Dangerous? The Real Risk, in PerspectiveMost snakes are harmless and avoid people. Here is the honest picture of snakebite risk worldwide and how to lower your own.
- Snakebite First Aid: What to Do (and What Never to Do)A clear, CDC-based guide to snakebite first aid: the steps that help, the popular myths that hurt, and how to tell a serious bite from a minor one.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.