Collared Whip Snake

Identification and appearance

A grey-brown whipsnake with a darker head, a pale-edged collar that can fade with age, and a narrow dark bar across the snout.

Typical length

AROD lists a species average of about 50 cm and a separately reported maximum of 90 cm.

Key identification features

• Grey-brown body
• Paler borders around a dark collar, which can fade with age

Where it is found

Eastern Queensland, from the tip of Cape York Peninsula south to the central coast of Queensland.

Diet

Feeds primarily on lizards.

Reproduction

Oviparous.

Medical significance

The consulted sources label this species venomous but do not establish a simple field estimate of clinical severity. Treat any suspected bite as an emergency. Call 000 and follow snakebite first aid for any suspected bite.

What to do if you encounter one

Keep well clear and leave a route towards cover. Do not chase, corner, handle or inspect it. If it is inside a building, keep people and pets away and contact a qualified local snake remover.

Similar-looking snakes

Photo: Belinda Forbes · CC BY 4.0 (Licence)

Elapidae

Black-necked Whip Snake

Demansia calodera

A small olive-brown to brown whipsnake with a pale-edged dark collar and obscure spots. The current diagnosis supports Western Australia; AROD also lists NT without a precise locality, so the range remains partial.

Open identification guide →

Photo: Max Tibby · CC0 1.0 (Licence)

Elapidae

Greater Black Whip Snake

Demansia papuensis

A large, slender whipsnake that is dark grey, brown or black above and often becomes redder toward the rear. Its tropical northern range runs from the Kimberley to Cape York and inland Queensland.

Open identification guide →

Taxonomy notes

Current treatments restrict D. torquata to Queensland; older NSW reports are reallocated to D. rimicola and are not used here.