Elapidae
Southern Desert Banded Snake
VenomousSimoselaps bertholdi
6 photographs of the Southern Desert Banded Snake. © Max Tibby.
The Southern Desert Banded Snake (Simoselaps bertholdi) is a venomous snake in the Elapidae family, recorded in 2 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 Southern Desert Banded Snake
Simoselaps bertholdi, also known commonly as Jan's banded snake or the southern desert banded snake, is a species of burrowing mildly venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
Etymology
The specific epithet bertholdi honours German physician and naturalist Arnold Adolph Berthold.
Description
S. bertholdi grows to an average total length (including tail) of 30 cm (12 in).
Reproduction
S. bertholdi is oviparous, with an average clutch size of four.
Distribution and habitat
The geographic range of S. bertholdi covers a broad swathe of arid inland Australia from central and western South Australia and the south-west of the Northern Territory, westwards across Western Australia to the western coast of the continent.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Southern Desert Banded Snake
- Is the Southern Desert Banded Snake venomous?
- Yes. The Southern Desert Banded Snake (Simoselaps bertholdi) 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 Southern Desert Banded Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Southern Desert Banded Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Southern Desert Banded 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 Southern Desert Banded Snake live?
- The Southern Desert Banded Snake has verified records in 2 countries, including Australia, Argentina. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- Why is it called the Southern Desert Banded Snake?
- The specific epithet bertholdi honours German physician and naturalist Arnold Adolph Berthold.
If you are bitten by the Southern Desert Banded 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
West Coast Banded SnakeSimoselaps littoralis
Northern Desert Banded SnakeSimoselaps anomalus
Red-bellied Black SnakePseudechis porphyriacus
Tiger SnakeNotechis scutatus
Eastern Brown SnakePseudonaja textilis
Texas CoralsnakeMicrurus tener
Many-banded KraitBungarus multicinctus
Lowlands CopperheadAustrelaps superbus
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
- Simoselaps
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Simoselaps bertholdi
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.