Dwyer's snake, Whip snake, Variable black-naped snake
Dwyer's snake (Suta dwyeri) also known as the whip snake and the variable black-naped snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to Australia, where it is found from New South Wales to South Queensland. While closely related to Australian sea snakes, P. dwyeri is a terrestrial reptile.
The specific name, dwyeri, is in honor of Australian herpetologist John Dwyer.
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Sea snakes, or coral reef snakes, are a subfamily of elapid snakes that inhabit marine environments for most or all of their lives. Most are venomo...
Venom is a type of poison, especially one secreted by an animal. It is delivered in a bite, sting, or similar action. Venom has evolved in terrestr...
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starts withAdult S. dwyeri males average 31 cm (12 inches) in length from the tip of the snout to the uro-genital vent. Females are slightly smaller at around 29 cm (11 inches) in snout-to-vent length (SVL). S. dwyeri has a cylindrical brown body with a slender to medium build. The head is short and somewhat widened so as to be distinct from the neck. The tail is short as well, and the dorsal scales are smooth. The eye is medium-sized, with a vertically elliptical pupil.
Breeders of exotic reptiles advise letting pairs of S. dwyeri mate when they reach a length of about 23 cm (9.1 in) for males and 22 cm (8.7 in) for females. This species is viviparous rather than egg laying and successfully births about three offspring per brood. Newborn S. dwyeri young are about 13 cm (5.1 in) long.
