The Common Death Adder is a highly venomous, distinctive-looking viper-like snake that is from the family Elapidae and the species antarcticus. Like all reptiles, common death adders are vertebrates meaning they contain a backbone.
Description
The venom of the Common Death Adder causes neuro-toxic paralysis (muscle weakness and respiratory failure, and is 1½ times more toxic than the Indian cobra (Mirtschin & Davis 1992: 33).
The Common Death Adder possesses sharp front fangs and a triangular head which is distinct from its neck. The snakes body is short but strong and has a thin tail which possesses a small curved spur at its tip. The tip of the tail is usually white or cream (Cronin 2009: 175).
The eyes of the Common Death Adder are set relatively high on its head, possessing vertical pupils and a pale irises. It’s scales are smooth to slightly rough, and its colour varies from blackish to pale grey or a rich reddish-brown, often with irregular dark or light cross-bands; its belly is cream or grey in colouring, with dark brown or grey flecks and spots (Cronin 2009: 175).
Common Death Adders range from 0.5 metres to 0.6 metres in length; however, some have been known to reach 1 metre in length, with females often being larger than males (Mirtschin and Davis 1992: 32).
The colouring of the Common Death Adder varies, with its base (underside) ranging from an earthy grey to red colour, with darker cross-bands. The tip of the tail is usually black, white or yellowish in colour, and banded in juveniles. Southern Death Adders tend to have black tails while their northern counterparts tend to possess yellow or white tails (Mirtschin and Davis 1992: 32).
The snakes scales are smooth to slightly rough, and possess between 110 and 130 ventral scales; 38 – 55 sub-caudal scales (mainly single); mid-body scales are in 21 – 23 rows and the anal scale is single (Mirtschen & Davis 1992: 32).
Behaviour
The Common Death Adder is found over much of the Eastern and Coastal areas of Southern Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
This predominantly ground-dwelling snake is sluggish and most commonly active on warm afternoons or evenings. It shelters in hollow logs, beneath vegetation and in ground cover (Cronin 2009: 175).
When agitated, the snake flattens its whole body, and if threatened it forms a rigid coil and flicks from side to side, sometimes striking repeatedly and rapidly; however, death adders generally will not srike out or bite unless it feels threatened ( Australian Reptile Park 2010).
Development and Reproduction
Male Common Death Adders mature at 24 months of age; females at 42 months of age. Females can give birth to up to 33 live young per litter.
Common death adders generally mate in Spring. Females reproduce every second year, unless there is ample food available and warm weather (Cronin 2009: 175; Mirtschin & Davis 1992: 33). Females can give birth to a litter of between 2 and 42 live young, which are about 150 mm long at birth, between December and April (Cronin 2009: 175).
Feeding
Common Death Adders feed on a variety of vertebrates including lizards, small mammals and birds (Mirtschin & Davis 1992: 32, 33; Cronin 2009: 175). Juveniles tend to feed on smaller lizards and frogs (Cronin 2009: 175). They drink from pools of water found on leaves (Cronin 2009: 175).
Unlike most snakes, it does not actively search for prey, preferring to wait for the prey to come to it, by lying motionless beneath vegetation or half-buried in sand or leaf litter (Cronin 2009: 175). Lying loosely coiled with its tail in front of its snout, it lures its unsuspecting victim towards it by wiggling the tip of its tail (which is often a pale or yellow colouring) to mimic a worm or caterpillar (Cronin 2009: 175; Mirtschin & Davis 1992: 32). It strikes rapidly, injecting highly toxic venom into its victim (Cronin 2009: 175; Mirtschin & Davis 1992: 32).
Due to the snakes' tail being used as bait, some death adders have been found with part of their tails missing; this suggests that the victim may have bitten the tail prior to being attacked. However, Mirtschin & Davis (1992: 32) also suggests that part of the tail may have been lost due to incomplete skin sloughing.
Status
The number of death adders are in drastic decline as a result of habitat destruction, land clearing and grazing by humans. In the South they have been unable to adapt to habitat degradation and loss, and now are only found in national parks and untouched scrubland (Cronin 2009: 175; Mirtschin & Davis 1992: 33). The cane toad has also been linked to the decline of death adder numbers in the northern areas.
References
Australian Reptile Park (2010). 'Common Death Adder'
Cronin, Leonard (2009). 'Cronin's Key Guide: Australian Reptiles & Frogs'. Jacana Books (an imprint of Allen & Unwin). Crows Nest: New South Wales, Australia
Mirtschin, Peter & Davis, Richard (1992). 'Snakes of Australia: Dangerous & Harmless'. Hill of Content Publishing. Bourke Street: Melbourne, Australia.
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