Death adder
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The death adder is the ninth deadliest snake in the world. Some refer to the death adder as the deaf adder because when humans are near the death adder does not attack. [1]
Anatomy
The death adder has a very large body and a triangle shaped head. The colors of the death adder very although they are normally a light reddish brown or a dark grey. The longest that a death adder can reach is 1.1 metres long. The death adder has fangs that are 6.2 millimetres long and they both are hollow. [2] It takes between two to three years for a death adder to become an adult. Females bodies are normally both larger and longer than the males. The death adder differs from other Australian snakes because of its small worm-like structure located on the end of its tail. The worm-like structure is used for attracting prey. [3]
Reproduction
Death adders mate during the spring or early summer. The babies are produced in the late summer and early autumn. The unusual thing about the death adder is that they give birth to live young. In each liter a female death adder can give birth to up to twenty live young. [4]
Ecology
The death adder is located commonly in Australia and can be found almost everywhere in Australia. The only two places that it is not found in Australia is Victoria and Tasmania. [5] Death adders also live in New Guinea although they are more common and well known to Australia. Death adders like to lay under leaves or sand for seclusion. [6]
Attack
The death adder differs from all of the other snakes located in Australia. Unlike other snakes who slither away when humans approach the death adder will stay and wait. The death adder will lie buried halfway under the sand and curls itself up. In order to attract small prey such as rodents, the death adder will raise its tail in the air to attract them. If the death adder misses it is very rare and they are always sure to not waste there venom. The death adder has 85 milligrams of venom in its body and can strike its prey at a blinding speed. The venom of the death adder is dangerous because it attacks the nerves. If the bite is not treated then paralysis can occur. [7]
References
- Death adder Rebecca, Dangerous Australian Creatures.
- Acanthophis Unkown, wikipedia.
- New Guinea death adder Nick Baker, Ecology of Asia.
