Elapidae
New Guinea Death Adder
VenomousAcanthophis laevis
6 photographs of the New Guinea Death Adder. © Alexander A. Fomichev.
The New Guinea Death Adder (Acanthophis laevis) is a venomous snake in the Elapidae family.
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 New Guinea Death Adder
The smooth-scaled death adder (Acanthophis laevis), also called the New Guinea death adder, is a venomous species of elapid snake endemic to Southeast Asia and Oceania. Unlike other snakes commonly referred to as "adders", which are nearly all in the Viperidae family, A. laevis is part of the Elapidae, the family containing cobras, coral snakes, mambas and sea snakes, among other venomous species.
A. laevis is an ambush predator, lying in-wait to capture fast-moving prey like birds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The death adders (genus Acanthophis) have a broad diet, mainly consisting of frogs, lizards, and rodents. As with many snakes, females grow larger than males; tail length and head-shape also differ between sexes in some species.
Distribution and habitat
A. laevis is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In the former country, it is known from various islands across Eastern Indonesia and Maluku Province, including Numfor and Yamdena Islands, as well as the Maluku Islands of Kai Besar, Kai Kecil, Obi, and Seram. On the island of New Guinea, it is known from most regions, including much of Western New Guinea (Indonesia) east to the region of Port Moresby.
Reproduction
A. laevis is ovoviviparous.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: New Guinea Death Adder
- Is the New Guinea Death Adder venomous?
- Yes. The New Guinea Death Adder (Acanthophis laevis) 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 New Guinea Death Adder poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The New Guinea Death Adder is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the New Guinea Death Adder 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.
If you are bitten by the New Guinea Death Adder
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.
More Elapidae snakes
Southern Death AdderAcanthophis antarcticus
Northern Death AdderAcanthophis praelongus
Rough-scaled Death AdderAcanthophis rugosus
Pilbara Death AdderAcanthophis wellsi
Plains Death AdderAcanthophis hawkei
Desert Death AdderAcanthophis pyrrhus
Kimberley Death AdderAcanthophis cryptamydros
Red-bellied Black SnakePseudechis porphyriacus
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
- Acanthophis
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Acanthophis laevis
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.