Coastal Taipan
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Oxyuranus scutellatus The Coastal Taipan is Australia's longest venomous snake. The maximum length recorded was from a 3.3-metre-long snake caught at Tully in the early 1960s. The average length of a Coastal Taipan caught nowadays is about 2 metres. The venom of the Coastal Taipan contains a potent procoagulant, and a presynaptic neurotoxin called taipoxin. This toxin also attacks muscles, releasing myoglobin and muscle enzymes, such as creatine kinase. The Coastal Taipan is mainly diurnal (active during the day) and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk), though is sometimes nocturnal. The only record of a Taipan from Brisbane was in 1958 from the suburb of Runcorn.
The Taipan is people-shy and rat hungry. Through this diet of rats the Coastal Taipan has evolved a unique hunting technique, that, when coupled with a venom powerful enough to subdue large rats quickly, aids in the hunter not being killed by its prey. The Taipan uses a 'snap and release' bite. Once the Taipan bites the prey item it quickly pulls back from the animal, and waits for the prey's demise. When hunting rats this snap and release biting techniqueprevents the rat from inflicting a fatal bite on the Taipan's slender and vulnerable neck.
The Taipan is an egg layer, producing up to24 eggs in a clutch. These hatch in about 60 days. The newly-hatched snakes, being approximately 36 cm in length, will begin feeding on small mice.
Did you know...
- The coastal taipan is Australia's longest venomous snake. The maximum length recorded was from a 3.3-metre-long snake caught at Tully in the early 1960s.
- The venom of the Coastal Taipan contains a potent blood thickener, and it also attacks muscles and the nervous system.
- Not one to be messed with! The only record of a Taipan from Brisbane was in 1958 from the suburb of Runcorn.
- The Taipan is an egg layer, producing up to 24 eggs in a clutch. These hatch in about 60 days. The newly-hatched snakes, being approximately 36 cm in length, will begin feeding on small mice.
Where Coastal Taipans are found in Australia:
