Species Pseudechis porphyriacus (Shaw, 1794)
Red-bellied Black Snake
- Coluber porphyriacus Shaw, G. 1794. The Zoology of New Holland. Illustrated by J. Sowerby. London. 33 pp. [27, pl. 10].
Type data:
Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown (presumed lost), unspecified locality. - Trimeresurus leptocephalus Lacépède, B.G.E. 1804. Mémoire sur plusieurs animaux de la Nouvelle-Hollande dont la description n'a pas encore été publiée. Annales du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Paris 4: 184-211 pls 55-58 [209, pl. 56 fig. 1].
Type data:
Lectotype RMNH (unnumbered), Australia
Comment: whereabouts of other syntype unknown (not located). - Acanthophis tortor Lesson, R.P. 1826. Reptiles. In, Duperrey, L.I. (ed.). Voyage Autour du Monde, Exécuté par Ordre du Roi, sur la Corvette de sa Majesté, La Coquille, Pendant les Années 1822, 1824 et 1825. Zoologie, Atlas. Paris : Arthus Bertrand. [published over the period 1826-1838, see Sherborn, C.D. & Woodward, B.B. 1901. Notes on the dates of publication of the natural history portions of some French voyages. Part 1. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 7 7: 388–392 (established date of livraison 11, pl.6 as 1829 and in a correction, Sherborn, C.D. & Woodward, B.B. 1906. Notes on the dates of publication of the natural history portions of some French voyages. 'Voyage autour du Monde .... sur .... la Coquille pendant .... 1822-25 .... Par L.J. Duperrey,' etc. A correction. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 7 17: 335–336, established date of the text as 1831)] [pl. 6].
Type data:
Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown (not found), Australasia (Port Jackson, NSW and New South Wales). - Naja porphyrica Schlegel, H. 1837. Essai sur la Physionomie des Serpens. Partie Générale et Partie Descriptive. La Haye : Kips & Stockum Vol. 2 xv 606 pp. [479] [errore for Coluber porphyriacus Shaw, 1794].
- Pseudechis porphyraicus McCoy, F. 1867. On the recent zoology and palaeontology of Victoria. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 3 20: 175-202 [182] [errore for Coluber porphyriacus Shaw, 1794].
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- Cogger, H.G., in Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E. & Cogger, H.M. 1983. Amphibia and Reptilia. 313 pp. in Walton, D.W. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 1 vi + 313 pp. [232]
Generic Combinations
- Pseudechis porphyriacus (Shaw, 1794).
Introduction
An alternate taxonomy (Hoser 2003) considers this taxon more diverse than treated herein, with additional subspecific content being: Pseudechis porphyriacus eipperi Hoser, 2003; and P. p. rentoni Hoser, 2003. This taxonomy has not gained widespread acceptance.
Distribution
States
Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria
Extra Distribution Information
Australian Endemic.
IBRA
ACT, NSW, Qld, SA, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Flinders (FLI), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Wet Tropics (WT)
Ecological Descriptors
Closed forest, diurnal, low open woodland, open forest, predator, swamp, tall forest, terrestrial, tussock grassland, viviparous.
Extra Ecological Information
Primarily anuriphagous.
General References
Craig, J. 1978. The birth of red-bellied black snakes — Pseudechis porphyriacus. South Australian Herpetology Group. Newsletter 1978: 7 (reproduction)
Heatwole, H. & Johnson, C.R. 1979. Thermoregulation in the red-bellied black snake, Pseudechis porphyriacus (Serpentes: Elapidae). Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 65: 83-102 (thermoregulation)
Hoser, R. 2003. A re-assessment of the taxonomy of the Red-bellied Black Snakes (Genus Pseudechis) with the descriptions of two new subspecies. Boydii — Journal of the Herpetological Society of Queensland Autumn (May) Issue: 15-18
Lillywhite, H.B. 1980. Behavioral thermoregulation in Australian elapid snakes. Copeia 1980: 452-458 (thermoregulation)
Mackay, R.D. 1955. A revision of the genus Pseudechis. Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 1953–54: 15-23 (taxonomy)
Shine, R. 1977. Habitats, diets, and sympatry in snakes: a study from Australia. Canadian Journal of Zoology 55: 1118-1128 (ecology), <1148> (growth)
Shine, R. 1977. Reproduction in Australian elapid snakes. I. Testicular cycles and mating seasons. Australian Journal of Zoology 25: 647-653 (reproduction)
Shine, R. 1977. Reproduction in Australian elapid snakes. II. Female reproductive cycles. Australian Journal of Zoology 25: 655-666 (reproduction)
Shine, R. 1979. Activity patterns in Australian elapid snakes (Squamata: Serpentes: Elapidae). Herpetologica 35: 1-11 (behaviour)
Shine, R., Grigg, G.C., Shine, T.G. & Harlow, P. 1981. Mating and male combat in Australian blacksnakes, Pseudechis porphyriacus. Journal of Herpetology 15: 101-107 (behaviour)
Common Name References
CAVS 2006. Census of Australian Vertebrate Species. Australian Biological Resources Study. (Red-bellied Black Snake)
History of changes
Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
07-Feb-2024 | 26-Aug-2013 | MODIFIED | ||
08-Mar-2011 | 02-May-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
12-Feb-2010 | (import) |