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Elapidae

Ringed Brown Snake

Venomous

Pseudonaja modesta

Ringed Brown Snake
Pseudonaja modesta, © Max Tibby
Ringed Brown SnakeRinged Brown SnakeRinged Brown SnakeRinged Brown SnakeRinged Brown Snake

6 photographs of the Ringed Brown Snake. © Max Tibby.

The Ringed Brown Snake (Pseudonaja modesta) 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 Ringed Brown Snake

The ringed brown snake (Pseudonaja modesta) is a species of venomous elapid snake native to a broad swathe of inland Australia, from western New South Wales and Queensland to Western Australia.

Albert Günther described it as Cacophis modesta in 1872, from specimens collected in northwestern Australia. The specific name modesta is the Latin adjective "unassuming", "orderly", or "well-behaved", regarded as apt by toxicologist Struan Sutherland, as the snake generally does not bite people. Meanwhile, Charles Walter De Vis described Brachysoma sutherlandi from Carl Creek, Norman River in northwestern Queensland in 1884, and William Macleay described Furina ramsayi, naming it after Edward Pierson Ramsay, in 1885 from a collection from Milparinka in northwestern New South Wales. All three are the same species.

Reaching around 50 cm (20 in) in length, the ringed brown snake has grey-brown to red-brown upperparts with a black head and neck split by a cream band, as well as four to seven black bands with cream margins at regular intervals down the length of its body. Its underparts are cream to yellow splotched with orange. The upper dark bands may fade markedly with age. Its colour and markings, particularly its black head and neck band, resemble the juvenile eastern brown snake.

The ringed brown snake is found in arid regions across inland Australia (except Victoria). It lives in arid shrubland or grassland, where it hides in spinifex or under fallen timber.

A girl bitten by this species in 1987 suffered mild systemic symptoms. No coagulopathy was recorded.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Ringed Brown Snake

Is the Ringed Brown Snake venomous?
Yes. The Ringed Brown Snake (Pseudonaja modesta) 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 Ringed Brown Snake poisonous?
Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Ringed Brown Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
Is the Ringed Brown 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 Ringed Brown Snake live?
The Ringed Brown Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Australia. See the distribution section below for its full range.

If you are bitten by the Ringed Brown 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

Australia

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
Pseudonaja
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
Pseudonaja modesta

Keep learning

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