De Vis’ Banded Snake Seen In South Australia For First Time

A venomous snake that hasn’t been observed in South Australia before has been seen for the first time near New South Wales and Victoria.

The De Vis’ banded snake (Denisonia devisi), or mud adder is a critically endangered species in Victoria. The snake was thought to inhabit areas east of Lake Victoria, but with several nocturnal sightings of the reptile west of the lake, on the Chowilla floodplain, extends the range of the snake, researchers say.

The range extension is the first record of the species in South Australia. The new population was verified by reviewing four textbooks, three articles and three online databases. None detailed any population of the De Vis’ banded snake in South Australia.

The genus Denisonia is currently comprised of two species. Both are nocturnal with large eyes and vertically elliptical pupils. Both are viviparous and can be found in floodplains and riparian systems with significant rainfall. The ornamental snake (Denisonia maculata) is found in clay shrink swelling depressions called gilgais in central-eastern Queensland. They are listed as vulnerable in Queensland.

De Vis’ Banded Snake Localities

The De Vis’ banded snake (Denisonia devisi) is tradionally found throughout central and southern Queensland into central-northern New South Wales. The observations in South Australia extends that range. It too is found in cracking clay riparian areas and alluvial flats with woodlands and shrublands. It is listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN. It is listed as critically endangered in Victoria.

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The complete paper, “De Vis’ Banded snake, Denisonia Devisi (squamata: elapiDae): an addition to the elapid Fauna of South Australia with notes on its ecology and conservation” can be read on the Herpetological Conservation and Biology website.