Acanthophis
| Acanthophis | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Acanthophis laevis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: |
Acanthophis Daudin, 1803 |
| Species | |
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See taxonomy |
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See taxonomy
Acanthophis is a genus of elapid snakes. Commonly called death adders, they are native to Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands, and are among the most venomous snakes in the world. The name of the genus derives from the Ancient Greek acanthos/ἄκανθος "spine" and ophis/ὄφις "snake", referring to the spine on the death adder's tail.
Seven species are listed by ITIS, though it remains unclear how many species this genus includes, with figures ranging from 4 to 15 species being quoted (see Taxonomy).
Death adders are very viper-like in appearance, having a short, robust body, triangular shaped heads and small subocular scales. They also have vertical pupils and many small scales on the top of the head. Their fangs are also longer and more mobile than for most other elapids, although still far from the size seen in some of the true vipers. Despite their name, they are not related to adders, which are members of the family Viperidae, and their similar appearance is due to convergent evolution.
They normally take 2–3 years to reach adult size. Females are generally slightly larger than the males. They can also be easily distinguished from other Australian snakes because of a small, worm like lure on the end of their tail, which is used to attract prey. Most have large bands around their bodies, though the color itself is variable, depending on their locality. Colours are usually black, grey or red and yellow, but also include brown and greenish-grey.
Death adders were originally called "deaf adders" by early settlers of Australia. Unlike other snakes that tend to run away from human disturbance, the death adder's method of hunting by ambush inclines it to stay, leading to the notion that the death adder cannot hear. However, death adders, like other snakes, perceive ground vibrations.
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