Pseudechis australis

Mulgaschlange ( Pseudechis australis)

The Mulgaschlange ( Pseudechis australis), also called 'the King Brown ( king brown snake ) is a snake of the family Elapidae ( Elapidae ). Their English name often leads to misunderstandings, is used as the Mulgaschlange no brown snake, but a black otter and, among other things with the Rotbäuchigen Black Otter ( P. porphyriacus ).

Features

The Mulgaschlange is 1.8 to 2.0, in exceptional cases, 2.7 meters long. Their body color is oberseits monochrome yellow to reddish brown, the underside is cream-colored and can be spotted orange. Head and trunk are not clearly separated from each other. The eyes are large and have a round pupil. The scales are ungekielt and are available in 17 rows. She has six upper lip shields, 185-225 ventral scales and 50 to 75 tail shields.

Distribution and habitat

It is distributed with the exception of the eastern coastal regions and Tasmania in Australia and on Melville Island. She lives mainly in dry areas.

Way of life

Mulgaschlangen are diurnal and nocturnal, during warm weather only nocturnal. They feed on small mammals, birds, lizards and other snakes, even of conspecifics. Between May and July is the mating season of the snake. After about 45 days the eggs are laid, which hatch juveniles in a brood temperature of 26 to 30 ° C, after about 60 days.

Mulgaschlangen and people

In encounters with people who flees Mulgaschlange ordinarily defends, however, when it is cornered. The Mulgaschlange shows a characteristic defensive behavior: the front body becomes erect when threatened, the mouth open and the neck slightly apart. In this position, the threat is fixed. Does the defense behavior does not take place several quick bites, and after a bite larger amounts are released to poison by supportive chewing movements. The poison of the Mulgaschlange acts anticoagulant and neurotoxic. The Mulgaschlange injected from all poisonous snakes in Australia, the largest amount of venom per bite.