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Pseudonaja textilis (DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL, 1854)

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Higher TaxaElapidae (Hydrophiinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Eastern brown snake
G: Gewöhnliche Braunschlange 
SynonymFurina textilis DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854: 1242
Pseudoelaps superciliosus FISCHER 1856: 107
Demansia annulata GÜNTHER 1858: 213
Pseudoelaps kubingii JAN 1859: 127
Pseudoelaps sordellii JAN 1859: 127
Furina textilis — KREFFT 1862: 149
Pseudonaia textilis — KREFFT 1862: 394
Pseudoelaps kubinyi JAN 1863: 116 (emend. or lapsus pro kubingii)
Pseudoelaps supercilliosus var. beckeri JAN 1863
Diemennia superciliosa — GÜNTHER 1863: 239
Diemenia superciliaris MCCOY 1867: 182 (lapsus pro superciliosus)
Pseudoelaps beckeri JAN & SORDELLI 1873
Diemenia superciliosa — MCCOY 1878
Furina bicucullata MCCOY 1879
Cacophis guntheri STEINDACHNER 1867: 91
Furina cucullata BOULENGER 1896: 325 (lapsus pro Furina bicucullata)
Pseudechis cupreus BOULENGER 1896: 329 (part.)
Diemenia textilis — BOULENGER 1896: 325
Demansia textilis — FRY 1914: 193
Demansia textilis (inframaculata) WAITE 1929
Pseudonaja textilis — MCDOWELL 1967
Pseudonaja textilis — COGGER 1983: 233
Pseudonaja ohnoi WELLS & WELLINGTON 1985
Pseudonaja textilis — COGGER 2000: 675
Euprepiosoma textilis — WELLS 2002
Pseudonaja elliotti HOSER 2003
Pseudonaja textilis pughi HOSER 2003
Pseudonaja textilis cliveevattii — HOSER 2012 (preliminary)
Pseudonaja textilis leswilliamsi — HOSER 2012 (preliminary)
Pseudonaja textilis rollinsoni — HOSER 2012 (preliminary)
Pseudonaja textilis jackyhoserae — HOSER 2012 (preliminary)
Pseudonaja textilis — WALLACH et al. 2014: 605
Pseudonaja textilis — MIRTSCHIN et al. 2017 
DistributionAustralia (New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia), Papua New Guinea

Type locality: Australia

Pseudonaja ellioti: Australia (W New South Wales); Type locality: about 30 km N Wilcannia on White Cliffs rd, New South Wales (31°23’S 143°10’E)  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: MNHN-RA 3944 from Nouvelle-Hollande (= Australia)
Holotype: ZMH 362, from "New Holland (Sydney)" in original description; type labelled Sydney, N. S. W. [Pseudoelaps superciliosus]
Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.17.54, from Australia [Demansia annulata]
Holotype: Pesth (Budapest), presumed lost or destroyed, from N. S. W. [Pseudoelaps kubingii]
Holotype: MSNM not found, from Australia [Pseudoelaps sordellii]
Holotype: ZMH not found, from Sydney, N. S. W. [Pseudoelaps beckeri]
Lectotype: NMV D1832, from Longwood, Vic. ; original description cites Longwood, Vic. and Benalla, Vic., designated by Coventry (1970) [Furina bicucullata]
Holotype: none; description based on literature records; see also under Pseudechis australis (Gray, 1842), from Murray River (N. S. W. /Vic. ) [Pseudechis cupreus]
Holotype: AM R132991, (collector not stated, 10.ii.1991) [ellioti] 
DiagnosisDiagnosis in SKINNER 2009.


Additional details (1143 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentSubspecies: Pseudonaja textilis inframacula is now considered as a valid species. Hoser (2003) based his description of Pseudonaja textilis pughi primarily on McDowell’s brief description, designating the specimens described by McDowell as his types, and used the maxillary tooth counts as his main diagnostic character. In addition, he briefly described the coloration of living specimens examined by him personally (without indicating sample size or origin), and explicitly stated that all New Guinea Pseudonaja are assignable to his new subspecies. The status of Pseudonaja elliotti is questionable but it is likely to be synonymous with P. textilis (A. Skinner, W. Wüster, pers. comm.; Wilson & Swan 2008, Williams et al. 2008).

Venomous!

This species is considered to be the second-most venomous species in the world (after Oxyuranus microlepidotus; fide DOUGHTY et al. 2007). The Eastern brown snake causes most snakebite deaths in Australia (although there are only 1 or 2 fatalities per year). 
EtymologyNamed after Latin textilis (= woven), from the woven or plaited appearance and the unusual colouration. 
References
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