Southern Shovel-nosed Snake

About the Southern Shovel-nosed Snake

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Southern Shovel-nosed Snake

Is the Southern Shovel-nosed Snake venomous?

Yes. The Southern Shovel-nosed Snake (Brachyurophis semifasciatus) 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 Shovel-nosed Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Southern Shovel-nosed Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.

Is the Southern Shovel-nosed 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 Shovel-nosed Snake live?

The Southern Shovel-nosed Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Australia. See the distribution section below for its full range.

If you are bitten by the Southern Shovel-nosed Snake

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

• 
  Eastern Shovel-nosed Snake
  Brachyurophis australis
• 
  Narrow-banded Shovel-nosed Snake
  Brachyurophis fasciolatus
• 
  Northern Shovel-nosed Snake
  Brachyurophis roperi
• 
  Unbanded Shovel-nosed Snake
  Brachyurophis incinctus
• 
  North-western Shovel-nosed Snake
  Brachyurophis approximans
• 
  Cape York Shovel-nosed Snake
  Brachyurophis campbelli
• 
  Arnhem Shovel-nosed Snake
  Brachyurophis morrisi
• 
  Red-bellied Black Snake
  Pseudechis 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

Brachyurophis

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

Brachyurophis semifasciatus

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.