Taipan

This article is about the Australian snake. For the Chinese term for a "big shot", also the title of a novel by James Clavell, see Tai-Pan.

Related Topics:
Australia - Snake - Novel - James Clavell - Tai-Pan

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O. scutellatus

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O. s. scutellatus (Coastal Taipan)

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O. s. canni (Papuan Taipan)

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O. microlepitodus (Fierce Snake)

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Taipans are large (up to 3 metres in length), fast, highly venomous Australian snakes, one of which, the Fierce Snake, has the most toxic venom of any land species worldwide. There exist two species: the Common Taipan, and the less common Fierce Snake (also known as Inland Taipan and Small-Scaled Snake) (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), as well as two subspecies of the Common Taipan. Those subspecies are the widespread Coastal Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus scutellatus) and the Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus canni) which is native to the southern coast of Papua New Guinea. Their diet consists primarily of small rodents, especially rats.

Related Topics:
Venom - Australia - Snake - Papua New Guinea

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The Coastal Taipan is usually pale to dark brown in colour, fading to a lateral cream, although juveniles are lighter in colour. The Papuan Taipan is black or greyish-brown, with a copper-coloured stripe on its back.

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