Brachyurophis Explained

Brachyurophis is a genus of elapid snakes known as shovel-nosed snakes, so named because of their shovel-nosed snout which is used to burrow. The genus has eight recognized species, which are all found in Australia.^[1]

Species

• Brachyurophis approximans – North-western shovel-nosed snake
• Brachyurophis australis – (Australian) coral snake, Eastern shovel-nosed snake
• Brachyurophis campbelli – Cape York shovel-nosed snake
• Brachyurophis fasciolatus – Narrow-banded shovel-nosed snake
• Brachyurophis incinctus – Unbanded shovel-nosed snake
• Brachyurophis morrisi – Arnhem shovel-nosed snake
• Brachyurophis roperi – Northern shovel-nosed snake
• Brachyurophis semifasciatus – Southern shovel-nosed snake

The above species are sometimes included in the genus Simoselaps, sensu lato.

Nota bene

A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Brachyurophis.

Geographic distribution

• B. approximans - Western Australia North West Coastal and Western Plateau.
• B. australis - New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.

• B. fasciolatus - New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Northern Territory.
• B. incinctus - Northern Territory and Queensland.
• B. morrisi - Northern Territory North Coast.
• B. roperi - Northern Territory and Western Australia North Coast.
• B. semifasciata - Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and Northern Territory.

Further reading

• Günther A (1863). "On new Species of Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum". Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Third Series 11: 20–25. (Brachyurophis, new genus, p. 21).

External links

• Australian Faunal Directory
• OZCAM | Western Australian Museum

Notes and References

1. "Brachyurophis ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.