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Please call a professional snake catcher for verification of an identification made from the net. Many species can vary in colour and markings.
The typical classification won't be in order as we are doing land snakes only on this page. We are only including the land snakes that are more commonly encountered. For Sea Snake and Introduced Species identification please go to the applicable pages. Like this identification page we are only adding the more commonly encountered Sea snakes and introduced species, not every species or subspecies that has been found in Australia/Australian waters. Click on the pictures for more information.
Most snake bites are unnecessary and are usually caused be someone trying to remove a snake with no prior training. While some of the species are classified as harmless a bite from a larger specimen can cause a great deal of pain. Bites from some species can result in permanent injury or death.
PLEASE CALL A PROFESSIONAL SNAKE CATCHER AND DON'T TRY TO REMOVE ANY SNAKE YOURSELF. IT IS ILLEGAL TO KILL OR HARM NATIVE WILDLIFE, HEAVY FINES APPLY.
Snake or Lizard?
*Lizards will usually have eyelids. Snakes will have a fixed scale covering the eye. (The exception to this are geckos and legless lizards).
*Most lizards (goannas excluded) have a broad, fleshy tongue.
*Lizards will usually have a ear opening. Snakes do not have ears.
*Snakes don’t have legs. Most lizards have limbs.
Lizard - Legless Lizard. Fraser's Delma, Delma fraseri
Snake - Dwyer's Snake, Suta dwyeri
Pythons
Children's Python, Antaresia childreni
Reddish or yellowish brown on the top of the body, often with darker brown blotched markings. White to cream on the underside of the body. Found from north-western Queensland to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. A nocturnal python. They are terrestrial. Reaches up to approximately 100cms in length.
Spotted Python, Antaresia maculosa
Dark or yellowish brown on the top of the body, with darker brown to black blotched markings. White to cream on the underside of the body. Found in eastern Queensland to north east New South Wales. Mostly nocturnal. A terrestrial python. Reaches up to approximately 140cms in length.
Pygmy Python/Anthill Python, Antaresia perthensis
Reddish or occasionally yellowish brown on the top of the body, with darker flecking. White to cream on the underneath. Found in Western Australia from Goldsworthy to Mt Magnet including the Pilbara, Gascoyne and Murchison regions. Nocturnal. A terrestrial python. Reaches up to approximately 80cms in length.
Western Stimson’s Python, Antaresia stimsoni stimsoni
Reddish or occasionally yellowish brown colour on the top of the body, with darker spotting. There is a pale lateral line from neck extending along first third of body. White to cream on the underside of the body. Found in Western Australia from Perth to the Kimberley and east across to Kalgoorlie in the south and Fitzroy Crossing in the north. A nocturnal python. Terrestrial. Reaches up to approximately 100cms in length.
Stimson’s Python, Antaresia stimsoni orientalis
A reddish or occasionally yellowish brown on the top of the body, with darker spotting. There is a pale lateral line from neck extending along first third of body. The body is white to cream underneath. Found from eastern Western Australia across central Australia into South Australia including the northern Flinders Ranges, New South Wales, Northern Territory and across into Queensland to the Einasleigh Uplands and Mt Carbine area. Mostly nocturnal. A terrestrial python. Reaches up to approximately 120cms in length.
ALL ANTARESIA ARE CONSIDERED HARMLESS.
Black Headed Python, Aspidites melanocephalus
A reddish to yellowish brown or white on the top of the body, with dark brown to black cross bands. The head and neck is black. Cream to yellow on the underneath, with orange, brown and black markings. No visible heat sensing pits. Found from Mundubbera, Queensland across northern Australia to Exmouth, Western Australia. A nocturnal python but will bask during the day. Terrestrial. Reaches approximately 300cms in length.
Woma/Sand Python, Aspidites ramsayi
A reddish orange to yellowish brown or grey colour on the top of the body, with light to dark grey bands. On older snakes the colour has often faded with age. The head and neck is yellow to orange. Some have dark marks over the eyes. Orange to yellow underneath with or without dark markings. No visible heat sensing pits. Found in Westmar, Queensland across Australia, through western New South Wales, northern South Australia, south and central Northern Territory to near Broome, Western Australia. Also in Western Australia from Shark Bay to Perth, into the goldfields east of Kalgoorlie. A nocturnal python. Terrestrial. Reaches approximately 220cms in length.
ALL ASPIDITES ARE CONSIDERED HARMLESS
Water Python/Rainbow Serpent, Liasis fuscus
A greenish brown to grey colour on the top of the body. The scales have a strong iridescence sheen to them. The underneath is white beneath the head, yellow to orange under the body and grey under the tail. Their lips are usually peppered grey or black over white. Found from Conway, Queensland, across northern Australia to Broome, Western Australia. Mainly nocturnal but will come out to bask during the day. Terrestrial to semi aquatic. Can reach approximately 220cms in length.
HARMLESS
Olive Python, Liasis olivaceus olivaceus
The top of the body is a pale dark brown, olive colour to grey. The underneath is cream to pale yellow colour. Found across northern Australia from along the Selwyn Range, Queensland across to the Kimberley in Western Australia. Mainly nocturnal, but will come out and bask during the day. A terrestrial and semi-arboreal python.
Can reach up to 400cms in length.
HARMFUL
Centralian Carpet Python/Bredl’s Python, Morelia bredli
The top of the body is a reddish brown to dark brown,often darker on rear third, with white, yellow and black markings. The underneath is a white to cream below with orange brown and black spotting. Found in the Northern Territory around the MacDonnell Ranges across to Hart’s Range. A nocturnal python. Both terrestrial and arboreal. Can reach a length of approximately 300cms.
HARMLESS.