Denisonia devisi

The mud adder (Denisonia devisi), also known commonly as Devis's banded snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to certain regions of eastern Australia, including South West Queensland, northern New South Wales, north-west Victoria, and (more recently) South Australia. Its scientific and common names refer to Charles Walter De Vis. Taxonomy This species was first described by Charles Walter De Vis, the first director of the Queensland Museum, from whom both the scientific name and one of its common names are derived. In 1884 he described it as Hoplocephalus ornatus. In 1920 Waite and Longman decided to place it in the genus Denisonia. However, since Krefft in 1869 had named a different species Denisonia ornata, that name could not be used. Waite and Longman therefore created the new name Denisonia maculata var. devisi. Subsequently, Cogger in 1983 raised it to full species status as Denisonia devisi. Description Denisonia devisi is short, thick, and slightly flat. The eyes are set at the top of the head and have a conspicuous iris. The dorsal surface of the body is yellowish-brown to olive-green in colour, broken by irregular, ragged-edged, narrow, dark bands running across the body. De Vis' banded snake is sometimes confused with death adders, as both have thick, banded bodies. The main difference is that the De Vis' banded snake's tail does not taper abruptly, and its head is not broad and triangular.