Central Ranges taipan facts for kids
The Central Ranges taipan (Oxyuranus temporalis), also called the Western Desert taipan, is a very fast and extremely venomous snake found in Australia. It's a type of taipan, which are known for being some of the most dangerous snakes in the world. Australian scientists Paul Doughty, Brad Maryan, Stephen Donnellan, and Mark Hutchinson officially described this snake in 2007. The Central Ranges taipan was even named one of the top five new species of 2007 by a special group called the International Institute for Species Exploration.
Quick facts for kids Central Ranges taipan |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Oxyuranus
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| Species: |
temporalis
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Contents
How the Central Ranges Taipan Was Found
In 2007, Dr. Mark Hutchinson, a reptile expert from the South Australian Museum, found an immature female taipan. He saw it crossing a dirt road on a sunny day. The snake was about one metre (about 40 inches) long. Because taipans are so venomous, Dr. Hutchinson didn't try to examine it closely right away. He carefully put the snake in a bag. Then he sent it, along with other snakes he had caught, to the Western Australian Museum in Perth for a closer look.
It took two weeks for scientists to study the new snake. At first, they thought it might be a western brown snake. This was because it had a similar size and color. However, several weeks later, Brad Maryan, who manages the reptile collection at the Western Australia Museum, noticed something special. The snake had a large, pale head, much like the coastal taipan.
The first specimen found is called the "holotype." Scientists nicknamed it "Scully" after a character from the TV show The X-Files. Since "Scully" was an immature snake, scientists still don't know the full adult size of this species. Some other taipans can grow to be about three metres (about 10 feet) long! This was the first new taipan species discovered in 125 years.
A New Species of Taipan
Scientists confirmed that Oxyuranus temporalis is a new species. It is different from the two other known taipan species, the Oxyuranus scutellatus and the Oxyuranus microlepidotus. The Central Ranges taipan has some unique scale patterns on its head. By studying its DNA, scientists also found that it is closely related to the other two taipans.
How Dangerous is its Venom?
The two other types of Oxyuranus taipans are among the most venomous land snakes in the world. The inland taipan is considered the most venomous, and the coastal taipan is the third most venomous. Scientists tested the venom of the new Central Ranges taipan on mice. They found that its venom is very strong, meaning it would likely be extremely dangerous to a human if bitten. However, it seems to be a little less toxic than the inland taipan's venom.
Second Discovery in 2010
In May 2010, another Central Ranges taipan was found! This time, it was an adult female snake. It measured about 1.3 metres (4.3 feet) long. The Spinifex people from the Tjuntjuntjara Aboriginal community found it. They were doing a biological study in the Great Victoria Desert of Western Australia, near a place called Ilkurlka. This location was about 165 kilometres west of the South Australian border. It was also about 425 kilometres south of where the very first taipan was found.
See also
In Spanish: Oxyuranus temporalis para niños
