Demansia
| Demansia | |
|---|---|
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Demansia psammophis, yellow-faced whip snake |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: |
Demansia Gray, 1842 |
Demansia is a genus of venomous snakes of the family Elapidae; members of the genus are commonly known as whip snakes.
All species of the genus Demansia are gray, brown, gray-green, or beige, save for Demansia psammophis (yellow-faced whip snake), which may be cream-coloured. Whip snakes are long and slender. They have large eyes and relatively small heads that are only slightly wider than their bodies. All species in the genus Demansia are venomous.
Whip snakes are found in Australia, Papua New Guinea in the area around Port Moresby, and nearby islands.
Whip snakes eat mainly lizards. Whip snakes are diurnal (active in the day), and use their keen eyesight to hunt. The prey dies quickly from the effects of the snake's venom.
The effects of whip snakes' venom on humans are relatively mild compared to that of many other Elapid snakes, but they are known to have a very painful bite. Envenomation by a large individual can be dangerous, and medical attention should be sought. One known fatality has been attributed to a Whip Snake, that of Ron Siggins in 2007.
The following 14 species are recognized as being valid.
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Demansia.
The specific name, shinei, is in honor of Australian herpetologist Richard Shine.
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Wikipedia