Species Austrelaps superbus (Günther, 1858)
Lowland Copperhead
- Hoplocephalus superbus Günther, A. 1858. Catalogue of Colubrine Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum. London : British Museum xvi 281 pp. [217].
Type data:
Syntype(s) BMNH 1946.1.19.6, Australia; BMNH 1946.1.20.34–36, Australia; BMNH 1946.1.20.40, Australia; BMNH 1946.1.20.42, Australia; BMNH 1946.1.19.5, Tasmania; BMNH 1946.1.20.37–38, Tasmania; remainder of syntype series, BMNH 1946.1.19.14-15 ('S.Australia'), BMNH 1946.1.18.64 (Swan River), BMNH 1946.1.20.71 (Swan River), ?ZMB 4928 (not found) represent Elapognathus minor (Günther, 1863).
Generic Combinations
- Austrelaps superbus (Günther, 1858).
Distribution
States
New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria
Extra Distribution Information
Australian Endemic.
IBRA
NSW, SA, Tas, Vic: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP)
Ecological Descriptors
Alpine, noctidiurnal, open forest, predator, terrestrial, viviparous, woodland.
Extra Ecological Information
General carnivore, but primarily anuriphagous.
General References
Baehr, M. 1976. Beiträge zur Verbreitung und Ökologie Tasmanischer Reptilien. Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie A (Biologie) 292: 1-24 (natural history)
Rawlinson, P.A. 1974. Biogeography and ecology of the reptiles of Tasmania and the Bass Strait area. Chapt. 11. pp. 291-338 in Williams, W.D. (ed.). Biogeography and Ecology in Tasmania. The Hague : Junk 498 pp. (biogeography)
Shine, R. 1979. Activity patterns in Australian elapid snakes (Squamata: Serpentes: Elapidae). Herpetologica 35: 1-11 (behaviour)
Shine, R. & Allen, S. 1980. Ritual combat in the Australian copperhead, Austrelaps superbus (Serpentes: Elapidae). Victorian Naturalist 97: 188-190 (ritual combat)
Common Name References
CAVS 2006. Census of Australian Vertebrate Species. Australian Biological Resources Study. (Lowland Copperhead)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07-Feb-2024 | 22-Aug-2013 | MODIFIED | ||
| 08-Mar-2011 | 08-Mar-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |