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Elapidae

Highveld Garter Snake

Venomous

Elapsoidea sundevallii

Highveld Garter Snake
Elapsoidea sundevallii, © Ryan van Huyssteen
Highveld Garter SnakeHighveld Garter SnakeHighveld Garter Snake

4 photographs of the Highveld Garter Snake. © Ryan van Huyssteen.

The Highveld Garter Snake (Elapsoidea sundevallii) is a venomous snake in the Elapidae family, recorded in 15 countries.

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 Highveld Garter Snake

Elapsoidea sundevallii, also known commonly as Sundevall's garter snake or the African garter snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Southern Africa. There are five recognised subspecies.

Etymology

The specific epithet, sundevalli, honours Swedish zoologist Carl Jakob Sundevall (1801–1875).

The subspecific name, decosteri, is in honour of Belgian consul Juste De Coster, who collected natural history specimens at Delagoa Bay, Mozambique.

The subspecific name, fitzsimonsi, is in honour of South African herpetologist Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons.

Geographic range

E. sundevallii is found in Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of E. sundevallii are grassland, shrubland, savanna, and forest, at altitudes from sea level to 1,800 m (5,900 ft).

Description

Adults of E. sundevallii are slate-grey to black or dark brown on the upper body, with whitish to pinkish bellies. Juveniles are banded.

Males grow to be longer than females. The maximum recorded snout-to-vent length (SVL) for a male is 93 cm (37 in). The maximum recorded SVL for a female is only 65 cm (26 in).

Diet

E. sundevallii preys upon frogs, lizards and their eggs, snakes, moles, and rodents.

Venom

Although E. sundevallii is venomous and can inflict a serious bite, few bites have been recorded, and none has resulted in a human fatality. Symptoms may include pain and swelling, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, and loss of consciousness.

Reproduction

The species E. sundevallii is oviparous. A sexually mature female may lay a clutch of as many as 10 eggs.

Subspecies

The following five subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognised as being valid.

Elapsoidea sundevallii decosteri Boulenger, 1888

Elapsoidea sundevallii fitzsimonsi Loveridge, 1944

Elapsoidea sundevallii longicauda Broadley, 1971

Elapsoidea sundevallii media Broadley, 1971

Elapsoidea sundevallii sundevallii (A. Smith, 1848)

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Elapsoidea.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Highveld Garter Snake

Is the Highveld Garter Snake venomous?
Yes. The Highveld Garter Snake (Elapsoidea sundevallii) 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 Highveld Garter Snake poisonous?
Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Highveld Garter Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
Is the Highveld Garter 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 Highveld Garter Snake live?
The Highveld Garter Snake has verified records in 15 countries, including South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe. See the distribution section below for its full range.
What does the Highveld Garter Snake eat?
E. sundevallii preys upon frogs, lizards and their eggs, snakes, moles, and rodents.
Why is it called the Highveld Garter Snake?
The specific epithet, sundevalli, honours Swedish zoologist Carl Jakob Sundevall (1801–1875). The subspecific name, decosteri, is in honour of Belgian consul Juste De Coster, who collected natural history specimens at Delagoa Bay, Mozambique. The subspecific name, fitzsimonsi, is in honour of South African herpetologist Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons.

If you are bitten by the Highveld Garter Snake

A venomous snakebite is a medical emergency. Call your local emergency number immediately. In the US, dial 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

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

South AfricaZambiaZimbabweMozambiqueBotswanaKenyaNamibiaTanzania, United Republic ofCongo, Democratic Republic of theGhanaMalawiAngolaCongoEswatiniUganda

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.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards
Squamata
FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits
Elapidae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
Elapsoidea
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
Elapsoidea sundevallii

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.