Pseudonaja facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pseudonaja |
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| Ringed brown snake (P. modesta) in Northern Territory, Australia |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Subfamily: | Hydrophiinae |
| Genus: | Pseudonaja Günther, 1858 |
Pseudonaja is a group of venomous snakes found in Australia. These snakes are also known as brown snakes. They are considered some of the most dangerous snakes in the world. Even young brown snakes can deliver a bite that could be deadly to a human.
It's important to know that the king brown snake (Pseudechis australis) is not a true brown snake. It belongs to a different group called Pseudechis, which are often called black snakes.
Types of Brown Snakes
There are several different types, or species, of brown snakes. Here are some of the well-known ones:
- Pseudonaja affinis — This snake is known as the dugite or spotted brown snake. It lives in Western Australia.
- P. a. affinis — Found along the coast of mainland Western Australia.
- P. a. exilis — Lives on mainland Western Australia and Rottnest Island.
- P. a. tanneri — Found on mainland Western Australia, Boxer Island, and other islands.
- Pseudonaja aspidorhyncha — Called the strap-snouted brown snake. It lives in inland eastern Australia.
- Pseudonaja guttata — Also known as the speckled brown snake or spotted brown snake. You can find it in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and South Australia.
- Pseudonaja inframacula — This is the peninsula brown snake. It lives in South Australia, Western Australia, and the Eyre Peninsula.
- Pseudonaja ingrami — Known as Ingram's brown snake. It is found in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia.
- Pseudonaja mengdeni — Often called the gwardar or western brown snake. It lives in many parts of Australia, including New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia.
- Pseudonaja modesta — This is the ringed brown snake. It can be found in New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia.
- Pseudonaja nuchalis — Another type of western brown snake. It lives in the Northern Territory and Queensland.
- Pseudonaja textilis — This is the eastern brown snake. It lives in New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and parts of West Papua and Papua New Guinea.
Brown Snake Venom
Brown snakes are responsible for many snakebites in Australia. Between 2005 and 2015, they caused 41% of identified snakebites. Out of 296 confirmed bites, 15 people sadly died. From 2000 to 2016, brown snakes caused 23 out of 35 snakebite deaths in Australia.
Brown snakes can get scared easily. They might bite if you get too close, try to touch them, or make them feel threatened. If someone is bitten, they might suddenly collapse. A major effect of their venom is that it stops blood from clotting properly. This can be very dangerous and even lead to death. Sometimes, their venom can also cause kidney damage.
Other signs of a bite can include stomach pain, trouble breathing or swallowing, and even seizures. The venom can also make eyelids droop or cause low blood pressure.
The eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) has the strongest venom in this group. Some experts believe it is the second most venomous land snake in the world. The inland taipan, also found in Australia, is considered the most venomous. The western brown snake is the 10th most venomous snake globally.
Brown snakes can also harm pets and farm animals.
The fangs of brown snakes are quite short. They also don't inject a lot of venom with each bite. For example, P. textilis, P. nuchalis, and P. affinis usually inject only about 4 to 6.5 milligrams of dry venom. Because of this, many bites do not cause serious health problems. The smallest brown snake, P. modesta, is even considered mostly harmless. However, bites from larger brown snake species, especially P. textilis and P. nuchalis, are known to cause serious illness and can be deadly.
See also
In Spanish: Pseudonaja para niños
