Spotted Black Snake
Pseudechis guttatus
Highly Venomous
Other common names: Blue-bellied Snake
Species Profile
Spotted Black Snake
Significance to Humans
Highly Venomous
When threatened, it will inflate and flatten its body and neck as a means to intimidate. Bites from this species should be treated immediately and attended to with proper first aid.
General Description
The Spotted Black Snake has a heavy build with a wide head and smooth scales. Its colouration varies but typically ranges from dark grey to black, with scattered paler scales, creating a speckled effect. The belly of the snake is grey to blue-grey. Midbody scales at 19 rows.
Average Length
Can reach lengths of up to 1.5 metres
Habitat in SE Qld
This snake inhabits open forests, grasslands, floodplains, pastures, and agricultural areas. It seeks shelter in deep cracks within black soil. The snake is active during both day and night.
General habits
Typically diurnal, while actively searching for potential prey.
Diet
Diet consists of frogs, small mammals, lizards, and small snakes.
Local distribution
The Spotted Black Snake is found north and west of Brisbane, including areas such as Mt Crosby, Greenbank, Ipswich, Lockyer and Brisbane Valleys, and the Darling Downs. However, records for the Mt Crosby, Ipswich, and Lockyer Valley are dated, and the species may have disappeared from these locations with only one confirmed sighting at Collages Crossing in Karana Downs in 2015.
Around the home
Typically associated with ground refugia such as timber piles, sheet iron, rock walls, and areas with dense vegetation. It is frequently encountered around homes west of Toowoomba, where its population appears to be the greatest.
Spotted Black Snake Gallery
