Australian copper heads
| Australian copper heads | ||||||||||||
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Dwarf copper head ( Austrelaps labialis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Austrelapse | ||||||||||||
| Worrell , 1963 |
Australian copper heads ( Austrelaps ) are a genus of snakes from the poisonous snake family . The range of the viviparous species is southeastern Australia including Tasmania . The genus includes three types: lowland copper head ( A. superbus ), Highland copper head ( A. ramsayi ) and dwarf copper head ( A. labialis ).
features
With an average length of 1.30 to 1.80 meters, the Australian copper heads belong to the medium-sized snake species in Australia. Depending on the individual, their coloration varies from yellow to red-brown and copper-colored to gray and deep black. The eponymous copper-colored head is often present, but it can also be the color of the body. Many individuals have darker neck marks. The great breadth of variation within all species is one reason why all animals were generally regarded as belonging to one species up into the 20th century, although there are three species, all of which were described as early as the 19th century.
Way of life
The Australian Copperheads are diurnal for most of the year and only hunt at night during the hottest days of the year. They are particularly well adapted to the cold and are still active when other species have already gone into hibernation, and they are the first snakes to be found again in spring. They are the only Australian snake species to be found at higher altitudes above the snow line.
The species live particularly frequently in the area of water. They are very good swimmers and hunt in water and on land. As a rule, the snakes live as solitary animals, but if living conditions are favorable, they can also appear in larger numbers. The mating season of the animals begins in spring and at the end of summer the ovoviviparous females give birth to around 14 young snakes, each around 20 centimeters long.
Like most Australian snakes, the Australian copperheads are unspecialized hunters who hunt any prey that they can overwhelm and swallow. The food consists mainly of frogs and accordingly the copper heads can be found mainly in frog-rich waters. The Australian coppers are cannibals too , they hunt and consume their own kind.
Poison
The Australian copper heads are considered dangerous because of their poison, which in addition to neurotoxins also contains substances that break down tissue and blood. However, the animals are usually not aggressive and flee when disturbed. In the event of a bite, the snakes inject relatively large amounts of their venom, which are usually enough to kill a healthy adult human if not treated with an antiserum .
