Oxyuranus microlepidotus
(Mccoy, 1879) · speciesAt a glance
Sources7 archives
Databases and archives Oxyuranus microlepidotus's data was compiled from.
WikipediaWikimedia Foundation18 languages↗
BioWikiNetmultilingual Wikipediamultilingual↗
GBIFGlobal Biodiversity Information Facility218 records↗
Open Tree of LifeOpenTreephylogeny backbone↗
GoaTGenomes on a Tree · Sangergenome & karyotype↗
WikidataWikimedia Foundationstructured facts↗
GLoBIGlobal Biotic Interactionsbiotic interactions↗Every layer below draws on the sources above — open one to explore it, or use ← → to move between tabs.
The inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), also commonly known as the western taipan, the small-scaled snake or the fierce snake,White, Julian (November 1991). Oxyuranus microlepidotus. "Neurotoxic paralysis usually takes 2-4 hours to become clinically detectable. Coagulopathy however may become well established within 30 minutes of a bite" International Programme on Chemical Safety. Retrieved 8 November 2013. is a species of extremely venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to semi-arid regions of central east Australia.Cecilie Beatson (29 November 2011). Animal Species: Inland Taipan Australian Museum. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Aboriginal Australians living in those regions named the snake dandarabilla.Queensland Snakes. History & Discovery. (archived) Queensland Museum. Retrieved 15 November 2013. It was first described by Frederick McCoy in 1879 and then by William John Macleay in 1882, but for the next 90 years it was a mystery to the scientific community; no further specimens were found, and virtually nothing was added to the knowledge of this species until its rediscovery in 1972.Rediscovery. The Rediscovery of the Western Taipan. (archived) Queensland Museum. Retrieved 15 November 2013. Based on the median lethal dose value in mice, the venom of the inland taipan is by far the most toxic of any snake – much more so than even that of sea snakes The Australian venom research unit (25 August 2007). "Which snakes are the most venomous?" . University of Melbourne. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Venom Immunochemistry, Pharmacology and Emergency Response (VIPER) Institute. Frequently Asked Questions -What is the most venomous snake? . "Many experts answer that it is the Inland Taipan of Australia, because its drop-by-drop concentration of venom has great potency when measured by its ability to kill rodents". University of Arizona. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. Frequently Asked Questions About Venomous Snakes. "A comparative study found that the snake venom that is most toxic to mice (of the species tested) is that of the Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), found in Australia". University of Florida. Retrieved 5 November 2013. Journal of Herpetology Vol.17 no.1 (1983) Ecology of Highly Venoumous Snakes: the Australian Genus Oxyuranus. "..the number of mouse LD50 doses per bite is much higher for Oxyuranus microlepidotus (218,000 mice)...than for any other snakes, including sea snakes, investigated to date (Broad, Sutherland and Coulter, 1979)." (page 1) University of Sydney. Retrieved 8 November 2013. LISTS. Nine of the World's Deadliest Snakes. "#1: The snake with the world's deadliest venom - Oxyuranus microlepidotus". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 5 November 2013. BBC Nature Wildlife. Inland Taipan page. "Australia's inland taipan is considered to be the most venomous snake in the world". BBC. Retrieved 15 October 2013. Cecilie Beatson (29 November 2011). Animal Species: Inland Taipan "The venom of the Inland Taipan is extremely potent and is rated as the most toxic of all snake venoms in LD50 tests on mice". Australian Museum. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Steve Irwin presentation .Australia Zoo Tour with Steve Irwin (1m54s) "..the number 1 most venomous snake in the entire world, the fierce snake". Australia Zoo (official Youtube Channel). Retrieved 14 October 2013. Inland Taipan Venom vs. Sea Snakes Venom (most notable Belcher's sea snake) Oakley, Cecily (2011). Interview with Associate Professor Bryan Fry Biochemist and molecular biologist . "...For my PhD, I worked on the inland taipan, which is the world's most venomous snake...". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Fry, Brian site admin (10 April 2005) Most Venomous , Question: " ...I was talking to another herpatolagist and he said the hook nosed sea snake was the most venomous of all" Fry Answers: "The hook nosed myth was due to a fundamental error in a book called 'Snakes in question'. In there, all the toxicity testing results were lumped in together, regardless of the mode of testing (e.g. subcutaneous vs. intramuscular vs intravenous vs intraperitoneal). As the mode can influence the relative number, venoms can only be compared within a mode. Otherwise, its apples and rocks." Venomdoc forums. Retrieved 25 February 2015. kingsnake.com September Guest Chatter (16 September 2006).Q&A with Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry, Deputy Director, Australian Venom Research Unit, University of Melbourne . "Q: In retrospect to the LD50 charts, what do you personally feel is the hottest snake, in regards to potency, defensiveness, means of injection, etc.? A: It is the inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus). Not, as is popularised, any of the sea snakes." connectedbypets.com. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Garden of Eden Exotics (2 May 2012) Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry – Interview "...The inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) is far and away the most toxic, much more so than even sea snakes." nyexotics.blogspot.com. Retrieved 14 October 2013. – and it has the most toxic venom of any reptile when tested on human heart cell culture.Fry, Bryan (8 February 2005) Most Venomous ,"Q;I was wondering what snakes venom is the most potent to humans A:Drop for drop it is the inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), which has a venom more toxic than any other land snake or even the sea snakes." venomdoc.com Forums, Retrieved 17 April 2014.Seymour, Jamie, World's Worst Venom, (Min 44.33) "Among the reptiles tested, the most toxic venom belongs to inland taipan, killing over 60% of heart cells in the first 10 minutes" National Geographic Channel. Retrieved 17 April 2014.Seymour, Jamie, Venom Death Match "They have the most toxic venom towards humans then any other snake in the world" (min 1:49) National Geographic Channel, Retrieved 17 April 2014. The inland taipan is a specialist hunter of mammals, so its venom is specially adapted to kill warm-blooded species. Shorter, Damon. Great Australian bites – Three of the worst. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 16 October 2013. Inland Taipan Oxyuranus microlepidotus. venomsupplies.com. Retrieved 18 October 2013. It is estimated that one bite possesses enough lethality to kill at least 100 fully grown humans. Journal of Herpetology Vol.17 no.1 (1983) Ecology of Highly Venoumous Snakes: the Australian Genus Oxyuranus. "..the number of mouse LD50 doses per bite is much higher for Oxyuranus microlepidotus (218,000 mice)...than for any other snakes, including sea snakes, investigated to date (Broad, Sutherland and Coulter, 1979)." (page 1) University of Sydney. Retrieved 8 November 2013. "Reptiles – Fierce Snake" . Australia Zoo. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Martin, Stella (January 2004). Newsletter No. 80. "It has been calculated that there is enough venom in just one bite of an Inland taipan to kill more than 100 men of average size." Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland). Retrieved 18 October 2013. News (28 September 2012) Meet the world's deadliest snake in safety , Taronga Conservation Society. Retrieved 23 September 2014 Carbone, Nick reporting on Steve Irwin (4 September 2011). Remembering Steve Irwin: The 5 Most Memorable Crocodile Hunter Videos "Steve Irwin Plays with Inland Taipan (Fierce Snake)". Time. Retrieved 15 October 2013. It is an extremely fast and agile snake that can strike instantly with extreme accuracy, (29 November 2011). Snake Bite, Raymond Hoser (Official YouTube channel). Retrieved 31 March 2014. Carbone, Nick reporting on Steve Irwin (4 September 2011). Remembering Steve Irwin: The 5 Most Memorable Crocodile Hunter Videos "Steve Irwin Plays with Inland Taipan (Fierce Snake)". Time. Retrieved 15 October 2013. News (10 October 2013).Street's Corner: Houdini Heir Tries To Escape World's Deadliest Snake. KABB. (KABB "Fox San Antonio" official YouTube Channel). Retrieved 11 November 2013. Clinical Toxinology Resources. Snakebite Protocols – Oxyuranus microlepidotus. "Signs and Symptoms of Envenomation: E. Fang Marks: The snake strikes with extraordinary speed and accuracy, often snapping its jaws fiercely several times which can result in multiple punctures in the same attack.", "Special Considerations: A. Multiple Bites: The Inland Taipan is an extremely fast and agile snake which can strike instantly with extreme accuracy. It is possible for a Taipan to deliver more than one bite in a single attack." University of Adelaide. Retrieved 18 October 2013. often striking multiple times in the same attack, Seymour, Jamie, Venom deathmatch The snake demonstrates striking multiple times (min 1:49) National Geographic Channel, Retrieved 17 April 2014. Cecilie Beatson (29 November 2011). Animal Species: Inland Taipan. Australian Museum. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Clinical Toxinology Resources. Snakebite Protocols – Oxyuranus microlepidotus. "Signs and Symptoms of Envenomation: E. Fang Marks: The snake strikes with extraordinary speed and accuracy, often snapping its jaws fiercely several times which can result in multiple punctures in the same attack.", "Special Considerations: A. Multiple Bites: The Inland Taipan is an extremely fast and agile snake which can strike instantly with extreme accuracy. It is possible for a Taipan to deliver more than one bite in a single attack." University of Adelaide. Retrieved 18 October 2013. and it envenomates in almost every case.ABC News 24 (27 September 2012). Teen hospitalised after bite from deadly Taipan. (Quoting toxicologist, Dr Geoff Isbister). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 November 2013. Although the most venomous and a capable striker, in contrast to the coastal taipan which many experts cite as an extremely dangerous snake due to its behavior when it encounters humans, the inland taipan is usually a quite shy and reclusive snake, with a placid disposition, Cecilie Beatson (29 November 2011). Animal Species: Inland Taipan "The venom of the Inland Taipan is extremely potent and is rated as the most toxic of all snake venoms in LD50 tests on mice". Australian Museum. Retrieved 14 October 2013. South Australia arid lands natural resources management board. Biodiversity studies, Student fact sheet . Government of South Australia. Retrieved 15 October 2013. Clinical Toxinology Resources. "Oxyuranus microlepidotus -General Details, Taxonomy and Biology, Venom, Clinical Effects, Treatment, First Aid, Antivenoms". University of Adelaide. Retrieved 14 October 2013. ABC News 24 (28 September 2012). 'Placid' taipan in safe hands. (Quoting licensed reptile handler, Judith {Judy} Martin). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 November 2013. and prefers to escape from trouble. Carbone, Nick reporting on Steve Irwin (4 September 2011). Remembering Steve Irwin: The 5 Most Memorable Crocodile Hunter Videos "Steve Irwin Plays with Inland Taipan (Fierce Snake)". Time. Retrieved 15 October 2013. Threatened species 10 October 2012. Fierce Snake – profile. Office of Environment and Heritage (New South Wales). Retrieved 15 October 2013. However, it will defend itself and strike if provoked, Cecilie Beatson (29 November 2011). Animal Species: Inland Taipan "The venom of the Inland Taipan is extremely potent and is rated as the most toxic of all snake venoms in LD50 tests on mice". Australian Museum. Retrieved 14 October 2013. News (10 October 2013). Street's Corner: Houdini Heir Tries To Escape World's Deadliest Snake. KABB. (KABB "Fox San Antonio" official YouTube Channel). Retrieved 11 November 2013. Steve Backshall (19 May 2013) film clip. The most venomous snake on earth! - Deadly 60 - BBC. BBC Earth (official YouTube channel). Retrieved 14 November 2013. mishandled, ABC News 24 (28 September 2012). 'Placid' taipan in safe hands. (Quoting licensed reptile handler, Judith {Judy} Martin). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 November 2013. (29 November 2011). Snake Bite, Raymond Hoser (Official YouTube channel). Retrieved 31 March 2014. or prevented from escaping.Carbone, Nick reporting on Steve Irwin (4 September 2011). Remembering Steve Irwin: The 5 Most Memorable Crocodile Hunter Videos "Steve Irwin Plays with Inland Taipan (Fierce Snake)". Time. Retrieved 15 October 2013. Because it lives in such remote locations, the inland taipan seldom comes in contact with people; therefore it is not considered the deadliest snake in the world overall, especially in terms of disposition and human deaths per year. Venomous Snakes. World's Deadliest Snakes – Ranking scale. Reptile Gardens. Retrieved 18 October 2013. Walls, Jerry G. Deadly Snakes: What are the world's most deadly venomous snakes?. Reptiles (magazine). Retrieved 5 November 2013. National Geographic Channel, (Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr), video clip. Deadliest Snakes / Inland Taipan "in Deadliest Snakes, Brady approaches seven of the world's most dangerous and venomous snakes to determine which snake is the deadliest. He will scientifically investigate each species of snake by grading them on five basic criteria: size, volume and toxicity of venom, personality, and number of human deaths." Reptile Gardens (video host). Retrieved 6 November 2013. The word "fierce" from its alternative name describes its venom, not its temperament.Threatened species 10 October 2012. Fierce Snake – profile. Office of Environment and Heritage (New South Wales). Retrieved 15 October 2013.
No narrative description available for this taxon yet.
Size & morphology1
Life cycle & reproduction11
A DNA barcode is a short, standardised stretch of genes that works like a fingerprint — enough to tell one species from another. Below is the molecular trace Oxyuranus microlepidotus has left across the world's sequence archives.
At a glance
The complete instruction manual Oxyuranus microlepidotus carries — its genome. We read it from three angles — how big it is, how the DNA is packed into chromosomes, and how completely it has been sequenced — and explain how to read each value as you go.
Chromosomes & ploidyhow the DNA is packaged
2n is the full chromosome count in a normal body cell; n is a gamete (egg or sperm), which carries half. Ploidy is how many complete chromosome sets each cell holds — 2× (diploid) is typical for animals, while higher levels (polyploidy) are common in plants. Click any value below to see the underlying records and sources.
2n 361×GoaT · Animal Chromosome Counts Database
How far back this lineage goes — and how we know. Everything here is measured in Ma, short for “mega-annum”: millions of years ago. The chart reads left to right like a calendar of the Earth, from the deep past on the left to today at the right edgetop to bottom like a core drilled through the Earth, from the deep past at the top down to today at the bottom.
At a glance
When this lineage existed
How to read this: the coloured strip along the bottomdown the left is the geological calendar — the standard epochs (Pliocene, Pleistocene…) every museum uses, shown so you can see which chapter of Earth's history this lineage lived in. This lineage is a young one, so the strip is zoomed in to epochs — the finer subdivisions inside a period. The orange marker is the DNA clock: DNA accumulates mutations at a roughly steady rate, so comparing this species' DNA with its relatives estimates when the lineage split off — independently of any fossil.
Record type218 records
Origin
Range
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Museum / Voucheredphysical evidence
Backed by a physical specimen — a herbarium sheet, sample or voucher held in a collection. “Vouchered” means supported by material evidence, not just an observation.
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Holding institutions2 of 6 geolocated
Institutions and collections holding physical, vouchered specimens of this species — click a row to fly to it on the map.
| Institution | Specimens |
|---|---|
| DOI/NPS, Salem Maritime National Historic Sitelocation not on record | 51 |
| Natick, US | 48 |
| Museums Victorialocation not on record | 19 |
| Australian National Wildlife Collectionlocation not on record | 4 |
| Sydney, AU | 3 |
| Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territorylocation not on record | 1 |