| 1 | Golden-crowned snake |
Everyone knows about the eastern brown snake or tiger snake, but Australia contains dozens of lesser known snake species, many of which are common, yet have successfully avoided the public spotlight. One is the 50cm golden-crowned snake (Cacophis squamulosus), which is abundant along the east coast, including near Brisbane and Sydney.
This shy species is fully nocturnal, and reaches a maximum of 98cm. In the wild, golden crowned snakes inhabit rainforest and wet sclerophyll forests. However, they can thrive in suburban Sydney if water sources are nearby, and are sometimes spotted crossing roads at midnight, or even dragged in by hungry cats.
This snake has an odd defensive display: it thrashes its body around wildly, while pointing its head sharply downwards. It’s theorised that this is to display the namesake light crown on its head. They also do the opposite: they rear the upper third of their body up like a cobra, with an S-shaped kink in the neck. Golden crowned snakes will make sharp strikes repeatedly, but usually with their mouth closed.
Golden crowned snakes have venom, but have never killed a human. The vast majority of their diet consists of skinks such as sunskinks (Lampropholis), and occasionally frogs, toads, and blind snakes. They completely ignore geckos, according to a 1980 study that dissected preserved museum specimens. This is an egg-laying species, producing an average of 6. Hatchlings measure 16cm.
| 2 | Marsh snake |
Another east coast snake, but this time diurnal rather than nocturnal. Marsh snakes (Hemiaspis signata) are a peaceful species which often gathers together in small congregations.
Hemiaspis signata averages at 50cm, but occasionally breaks the 1 metre barrier. They inhabit marshland and wet forests, and occupy many locations in suburban Sydney, including Northbridge golf course, Cooper’s Park at Belleview Hill, and the Artarmon railway line. A pale white line from the mouth, and another from the eye, is a signature ID sign of this snake.
Its venom is incapable of killing humans; most bite reports describe local swelling. One boy developed moderately reduced fibrinogen levels and increased bloodstream fibrinogen degradation products, hinting at coagulopathy (blood clotting disruption).
The marsh snake mainly eats skinks such as the three-toed skink (Saiphos equalis), which it immobilises with venom, then drags to a safe location (like long grass) to swallow in peace. Again, this species shuns geckos, eating them rarely, as they comprise less than 1% of its diet.
| 3 | Slatey grey snake |
A species with a specialised diet: reptile eggs, including those of fellow snakes. The slatey grey snake (Stegonotus australis) inhabits moist forests in the far north of Australia, specifically two regions: Northern Territory and Queensland, where they’re relatively common. They reach a maximum of 130cm, and while possessing just a mild venom, they can bite humans hard if manhandled, or purposefully release an intolerable snake stench.
According to a 2009 study from Queensland, which found slatey grey snakes by repeatedly driving along rainforest roads, their favourite eggs were those of the Boyd’s forest dragon and eastern water dragon. Among snakes, they’re particularly addicted to those of common keelbacks and Lesser Sunda blind snakes. They aren’t limited to eggs, as other confirmed prey include swamplands lashtail dragons, banded tree monitors, and prickly forests skinks. They occasionally eat rats and amphibians, but the reptile world is their area of expertise.
Male slatey grey snakes are significantly longer than females. Originally, this species was dubbed Stegonotus cucullatus, but that name now only applies to those in Indonesian West Papua. Many old Australian studies are still under the S. cucullatus name.
| 4 | White-lipped snake |
A species primarily of mild Victoria in the far south of Australia. The white-lipped snake (Drysdalia coronoides) is one of Australia’s most cold-adapted snakes. They’re particularly common around Melbourne, and they’re one of just three snake species native to Tasmania, also including the tiger snake and lowlands copperhead. Drysdalia coronoides has even been found near the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest mainland mountain at 2,228 metres.
This snake is a car tyre black contrasting vividly against a snowy white line on its lip. Their venom is confirmed to contain neurotoxins, specifically a unique post-synaptic neurotoxin named drysdalin. However, their venom yield is just 2-3mg and their fangs are especially small. No human deaths are confirmed.
A 1981 study found 61 prey of the white-lipped snake. There was just 1 mammal and 3 frogs. The overwhelming majority consisted of lizards, mainly skinks, including rainbow skinks, southern grass skinks and Spencer’s widow-eyed skinks. 6 reptiles eggs were also found.
While white-lipped snakes reach Sydney, this lies at the extreme northeast extent of its territory. Uncommonly for an Australian snake, this species produces live young (usually 3-5), although it’s been found that in colder Tasmania, females only reproduce once every 2-3 years.
| 5 | Black-naped snake |
A small snake of southwest Australia, including near Perth, which reaches a maximum of 46.8cm. Narophis bimaculatus prefers drier, semi-arid land: dry shrubland, coastal heaths, coastal sand dunes, and mallee woodlands. This snake requires soft soil; it’s rare to find them on hard ground like clay or granitic soils.
Black-naped snakes like to lurk under cover objects, burying themselves in soil or dried leaves. One favourite is the abandoned nests of stick ants. The instant ID sign for Narophis bimaculatus is a small black patch atop the head, followed by a larger black patch atop the lower neck. The tip of their snout is also black, as though dipped in paint.
The black-naped snake eats reptiles almost exclusively, particularly skinks such as broad-banded sand-swimmers and common dwarf skinks. They also eat legless reptiles like sedgelands worm-lizards, which are easier to suck down (legs are irritating things).
This species’ taxonomy is constantly shifting. For decades it was assigned to the Simoselaps family, then Neelaps. As of 2023, it’s the sole member of the Narophis family. Black-naped snakes overlap with the similar desert banded snake (Simoselaps bertholdi), but that species has alternating orange and black bands covering its whole body, not just the neck.
| 6 | Blackish blind snake |
A blind snake of eastern Australia, particularly near Sydney and Brisbane. Anilios nigrescens spends the majority of its time underground in tunnels, and its eyes have gradually shrunk in response to the diminished light. This is an ant-eater, which forces the swarming colonies into its mouth using a raking manoeuvre.
The blackish blind snake is completely harmless. Its most “dangerous” weapon is a spiky tail which it pokes people with. Anilios nigrescens is one of the longer blind snakes worldwide, reaching a maximum of 80cm. However, they still fall victim to fellow Australian snakes, such as the small-eyed snake.
Blackish blind snakes are very discerning, ignoring trails of earthworms and even termites, whereas trails of worker ants readily catch their attention. Popular prey include southern meat ants and banded sugar ants. Blackish blind snakes follow these trails back to the central ant colony, where they hit the motherload of mealtimes. In a 1992 study, blackish blind snakes was able to follow scent trails that were weeks old as well as days old. However, they have some limits, as they were poor at following the trails of individual ants, rather than commonly used pathways.
| 7 | Australian coral snake |
A 30-45cm snake which avoids dense forests and prefers open woodland, dry grassland and arid scrub. The Australian coral snake inhabits eastern Australian, but doesn’t hug the coastline like others. It inhabits drier inland areas as well, such as gorges and dry creek beds. Australian coral snakes are identifiable by a jet black patch on the head, and then a second on the lower neck, combined with subtle white markings overlaying an orange body.
Brachyurophis australis has specialised teeth, with a serrated edge. The purpose of this is slicing its main prey, namely reptile eggs, and accessing the nutritious white and yolk within. These comprise most of its diet. They also have an adapted snout with an upturned edge, designed for digging up those leathery reptile eggs, by sifting through soil to find the hidden stashes.
The eastern shovel snout is no threat to humanity as a whole, or individual explorers lost in a dry canyon. They rarely bite even if picked up, and despite being an elapid like the tiger snake or eastern brown snake, their venom has reduced down to nothing.
The Brachyurophis genus is most closely related to the Australian Simoselaps genus. However, the two are believed to have diverged 18 million years ago. Brachyurophis likely split from the death adders and brown snakes 23 million years ago.
| 8 | Black-striped snake |
The black-striped snake (Cryptophis nigrostriatus) belongs to the same family as the better known small-eyed snake (C. nigrescens), which lurks under rocks and eats 95% skinks. The black-striped snake lives further north, inhabiting Queensland exclusively, rather than the east coast near Sydney. It’s easily distinguishable from its cousin, due to its orange body overlaid with a thick black vertebral stripe.
Black-banded snakes average at 50cm with a maximum of 62cm. Their habitats include woodlands and tropical sclerophyll forests, where they spend much time burrowing, often lurking in the upper 10cm of soil. Like their cousin, most of their diet is skinks. Few case studies exist, but one victim was struck 3 times in quick succession by a black-striped snake. The effects were reported as “mild”, with the victim experiencing stomach cramps and stiffness similar to arthritis near the bite site. The small-eyed snake has killed one person (in 1965), so it’s conceivable that this snake holds secret dangers.
Black-banded snakes lay live young, typically in batches of six. The stripe varies with this species. In some, it’s clearly demarcated against the orange, while in others it fades in more gradually.
| 9 | Variable black-naped snake |
A small snake which ordinarily Australians can easily walk past on their trips through woodlands. Variable black-naped snakes (Suta dwyeri) measure 25-35cm and inhabit eastern Australia, with a recognisable black head against an earthy-beige body. Suta dwyeri appears in woodlands and dry sclerophyll forests, the more lying rocks and rocky outcrops, the better.
This snake has been found on the outskirts of towns like Conargo, lurking under sheets of corrugated iron. In the wild, they hide under rocks and fallen woodland debris. This isn’t an aggressive snake, as when cornered, they prefer to coil up into a tight ball, protecting their most important body part: their brain. They also seek shelter in abandoned burrows. While their venom is mild and non-lethal, they’re capable of leaving a deposited fang in your finger.
One man was bitten on his right thumb below the knuckle. The Suta dwyeri hung on for 3-4 seconds, and 6 hours later, the man’s thumb stiffened, and the surrounding skin became sensitive to touch. The symptoms didn’t spread beyond the thumb, and they abated within days. Suta dwyeri virtually never strikes at people from a distance, but rapidly enters bite mode if picked up and manhandled. This is another reptile-eating snake, preying on geckos and skinks.
| 10 | Red-naped snake |
Australia has a disproportionate amount of snakes with orange-brown bodies, followed by a black head or neck. This list alone has several, but the red-naped snake (Furina diadema) has one clear ID sign: the namesake red patch between the two black patches higher up. Red-naped snakes average at 45cm, and are especially common in suburban Brisbane. They sometimes falls into backgarden swimming pools, or are dragged through the cat-flap by feline pets. They can be found by ripping up sheet metal, assorted backyard rubbish and timber piles, or in the wild, thick beds of leaf litter, which they love to lurk in, in order to pounce on unsuspecting skinks walking past.
This snake sometimes appears in communal formation, gathering in the same spot. Scientists visited a sheet of corrugated iron in Menangle, New South Wales 14 times over 32 months, and each time they found 6-8 red-naped snakes lurking comfortably below. They’ve also been found sharing hibernation sites with yellow-faced whipsnakes.
Staying out of sight is the red-naped snake’s top priority. This is a nocturnal species which will never be found striding through a street during broad daylight, like an eastern brown snake. If frightened, they have two choices: 1) make repeated bluff strikes with their mouth closed, or 2) vanish into soil cracks. Bites are rare, though not unheard of, and their venom is mild.