Species

Tiger Snake

Notechis scutatus
Category: Category 5
Care Sheets:

Genus: Notechis
Notechis scutatus
Tentatively treated here as 1 highly variable sp., through opinions differ widely and oftern regarded as 2 spp. with many ssp. Frontal shield about as wide as long. Reflecting its broad, relatively flat head. Eye moderately large with dark iris and round, narrowly pale-edged pupil. Scales smooth and weakly glossed in 17-21 midbody rows. Anal and subcaudal scale single. Colouration extremely variable. In much of SA and islands of Bass Straight, snakes are often black and patternless, thought pale bands are frequently evident on juv. and some adults. Those from Tas range from black to grey or even yellow, with or without bands. On se. mainland, snakes tend to be pale (shades of brown to olive) with bands of varying width and intensity. Those from WA range from olive to black and bands are often yellow. Size is similarly variable, with the length of some island populations dictated by type of available prey. On Chappel Is. in Bass Strait, dependence on a brief glut of fat muttonbird chicks favours large sizes, commonly exceeding 1.5m Conversely, on Roxby Is. off Eyre Pen., SA, dwarf populations less than 1m long subsist on small skinks. On the mainland, with a diverse diet of frogs, lizards, birds and mammals, average maximum sizes lie between these extremes. It is surprising given its abundance near cities and its involvement in many human fatalities, that Tiger Snake taxonomy remains unresolved.

The names N. ater and N. scutatus have generally been used in reference to 2 spp., thought there are no unambiguous characters to separate them. Similarly, the following ill-defined ssp. are often cited: N. s. scutatus (most of Vic except nw., through estn NSW to sthn Qld, n. to Carnavon Ra. Nthn populations are usually isolated in upland regions, thought lowland populations occur in parts of coastal Qld).

Widespread in southern australia, favouring cool moist areas such as swamp edges and creek banks. Island populations often occur among tussock grasses. Produces large live litters (up to 64 recorded in Tas). Diurinal, thought sometimes nocturnal in very hot weather. When provoked, it flattens its head and neck and raies itself with broadest aspect to aggressor. All forms, and variants are regarded as DANGEROUSLY VENOMOUS.


Necessities:

Vivarium	Infrared red heat lamp
Substrate	Water bowl
Thermostat

Tiger Snake Gallery

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