Hoplocephalus bungaroides
Description
The Broad-headed Snake is a medium sized, front-fanged, venomous snake. Its body is slender, generally black with lemon to golden yellow scales forming irregular cross bands. The yellow bands are usually a single scale wide and interspaced by 3-4 black scales. Along the sides there tend to be yellow scales which interconnect the cross bands to produce a wavy or straight horizontal yellow striping. The belly tends to be steely bluish grey but can be splotched with yellow. The head is much wider than the neck, somewhat flattened, and is ornamented with irregularly placed yellow scales. The upper lip scales are also barred yellow. They range in length from 22-28cm as newborn to around 90cm as adults. Average size is about 60cm with females tending to reach the larger sizes.
This snake is often confused with the tiger snake and is killed because of this resemblance although its distinct head differentiates it from the tiger snake. It can also be confused with the diamond python and at least one death has been attributed to this mistake.
Distribution
The broad-headed snake is found only in the Sydney basin within a radius of about 200km of Sydney. Their distribution is centred in four key areas; Blue Mountains, southern Sydney, an area north west of the Cumberland Plain and the Nowra hinterland. This species was once common in the suburbs of Watson's Bay, Bondi, Bronte, Coogee and Maroubra, an area which is now all totally built out. The species is believed to be afforded some level of security in: Avon, Cataract, Cordeaux, Nepean and Woronora Catchment areas and the Holsworthy Military Lands on the southern outskirts of Sydney.
Habits and Habitat
The broad-headed snake's preferred habitat is exposed sandstone outcrops in the Sydney Basin. The overwhelming majority of Broad-headed Snakes are found during the day, sheltering under large exfoliating slabs of sandstone and rock crevices in areas of undisturbed bushland during autumn, winter and spring. During Summer these snakes are rarely found during the day. They utilise rock crevices and sheets of weathered sandstone during the cooler months and tree hollows during summer. Loss of habitat due to urbanisation of ridgetops is a serious threat. Losses due to intentional killing by bush rock collectors is also occurring. However, a huge proportion of the Broad-headed snake's remaining habitat is now in conservation areas.
The Broad-headed snake is active at dusk and preys predominantly on lizards or small mammals.
Links and References
National Parks and Wildlife Service