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Austrelaps labialis (JAN, 1859)

IUCN Red List - Austrelaps labialis - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaElapidae (Hydrophiinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Pygmy Copperhead 
SynonymAlecto labialis JAN 1859: 128
Denisonia superba BOULENGER (part. ?) 1896
Austrelaps superbus — COGGER 1983: 218
Austrelaps labialis — RAWLINSON 1991
Austrelaps labialis — WELCH 1994: 27
Austrelaps labialis — COGGER 2000: 770
Austrelaps labialis — WILSON & SWAN 2010
Austrelaps labialis — WALLACH et al. 2014: 86
Austrelaps labialis — MIRTSCHIN et al. 2017
Austrelaps labialis — EIPPER & EIPPER 2024: 91 
DistributionAustralia (South Australia)

Type locality: Australia; neotype locality: Islet 477, Pelican Lagoon, Kangaroo Island, South Australia  
Reproductionovoviviparous 
TypesNeotype: SAMA R26414, designated by Rawlinson (1991). Original holotype: ZMG (presumed lost), from Australia. 
DiagnosisUnfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 1254 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentFormerly included as part of Austrelaps superbus.

Venomous! 
EtymologyPresumably named after the Latin labrum (lip), referring to the strongly barred lip pattern. (G. Shea, pers. comm., 9 Feb 2024) 
References
  • Bird P 1994. A range extension and atypical habitat for the mainland population of the pygmy copperhead Austrelaps labialis. Herpetofauna (Sydney) 24 (2): 46-47
  • Brischoux F, Pizzatto L, Shine R. 2010. Insights into the adaptive significance of vertical pupil shape in snakes. J Evol Biol. 23(9): 1878-85. - get paper here
  • Cogger, H. G. 2014. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, xxx + 1033 pp. - get paper here
  • Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 6th ed. Ralph Curtis Publishing, Sanibel Island, 808 pp.
  • Eipper T & Eipper S 2024. SNAKES OF AUSTRALIA. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford, 368 pp. - get paper here
  • Jan, G. 1859. Plan d'une iconographie descriptive des ophidiens et description sommaire de nouvelles espèces de serpents. Rev. Mag. Zool., Paris (2) (11-12): 122-130 - get paper here
  • Mirtschin, P., Rasmussen, A.R. & Weinstein, S.A. 2017. Australia’s Dangerous snakes. CSIRO Publishing, 424 pp. - get paper here
  • Rawlinson P A 1991. Taxonomy and distribution of the Australian tiger snakes (Notechis) and copperheads (Austrelaps) (Serpentes, Elapidae). ROYAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA PROCEEDINGS 103 (2): 125-135
  • Rawlinson, P.A. 1969. The reptiles of East Gippsland. Proc. R. Soc. Vict. 82: 113-128
  • Read J L; Bedford G 1991. The distribution and ecology of the pygmy copperhead snake (Austrelaps labialis). Herpetofauna (Sydney) 21 (2): 1-6
  • SCOTT, SHAWN & RICHARD BIFFIN. 2021. Notes on a newly discovered population of the Pygmy Copperhead Austrelaps labialis (Jan, 1859) in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Australian Zoologist 2021. - get paper here
  • Storniolo, F., Mangiacotti, M., Scali, S., Zuffi, M. A. L., & Sacchi, R. 2025. A comparative phylogenetic approach for the evolution of melanism in elapid snakes supports the Bogert's rule. Journal of Zoology 326: 289-297 - get paper here
  • Wallach, Van; Kenneth L. Williams , Jeff Boundy 2014. Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species. [type catalogue] Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.
  • Wilson, S. & Swan, G. 2010. A complete guide to reptiles of Australia, 3rd ed. Chatswood: New Holland, 558 pp.
 
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