第 0165 號，共 1 402 號

King brown snake

Pseudechis australis

名字的由來： The name "king brown" refers to the great size of individuals in the north and northwest of Australia, which can exceed 3 m in length.1

可能致命不治療的話可能會害死你。如果牠咬了你，要趕快求救。

澳洲的蛇

咬吃：肉

對人的危險: 非常危險如果沒有治療，牠可能會害死一個人。

The king brown snake is a highly venomous snake and the largest land-dwelling venomous snake in Australia. It lives across northern, western and Central Australia. Its size and venom make it one of the most important snakes to recognise in the region.1

分布在

Northern, western and Central Australia. Found in all states except Victoria and Tasmania.1

澳洲與大洋洲

首頁

King brown snakes are habitat generalists. They live in woodlands, grasslands, scrublands and sandy or stony deserts, and prefer wetter areas such as watercourses in dry regions. They are often found in wheat fields, rubbish piles and empty buildings, and sometimes become trapped in mine shafts.1

長度

2 m 到 3,3 m (6,6 ft 到 11 ft)1

體重

3 kg 到 6 kg (6,6 lb 到 13 lb)1

最高速度

大約 8,7 km/h（5,4 mph）

在陸地上, 粗略估計

牠吃什麼？

King brown snakes are generalist predators. They eat frogs, lizards, other snakes, birds, small mammals and spiders, including funnel-web spiders. They have also been known to eat roadkill and to eat other king brown snakes.1

King brown snake 的照片 — King brown snake。照片：Smacdonald。 CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

怎麼認出牠

A large, robust snake that can reach 2.0 to 2.5 m, with a maximum confirmed length of 3.3 m.1
Colour varies by area: tan in the north, and darker brown to blackish in the south.1
Scales are two-toned, giving the upper body a reticulated (net-like) pattern.1
The belly is cream, white or salmon, and often has orange marks.1
The head is slightly wider than the body, with small eyes that have red-brown irises and a dark tongue.1

常被誤認為： King brown snakes can be confused with brown snakes of the genus Pseudonaja, olive pythons, water pythons, spotted mulga snakes and coastal taipans. In eastern brown snakes, the temporolabial scale and last supralabial scale (scales above the mouth) are fused. In king brown snakes, they are separate.1

毒液力量

咬

咬的時候，毒液會從毒牙或牙齒出來。

牠的毒液有什麼作用？

The venom is not as potent as that of Australia's other dangerous snakes, but it can cause severe effects if delivered in large enough amounts. Its main effect is on striated (skeletal) muscle, which can cause paralysis through muscle damage. It also commonly affects blood clotting (coagulopathy).1

牠對人有多危險？

對人的危險: 非常危險如果沒有治療，牠可能會害死一個人。

Deaths from its bites have been recorded, with the most recent in 1969. Extensive pain and swelling often occur at the bite site, and necrosis (death of tissue) occurs rarely.1

好消息：醫生有藥（抗毒血清）或治療方法。1

如果牠咬人

Victims are treated with black snake (not brown snake) antivenom.1
加壓固定法：用彈性繃帶緊緊包住咬傷處，再往上包住整條手臂或腿，用夾板固定，並讓傷者完全不動，直到救援抵達。
不要清洗咬傷處：醫院可以檢驗留在皮膚上的毒液，選出正確的抗毒血清。

一定要先打緊急電話（112、000、911）。這是一般急救指引，不是醫療建議。急救基本知識

注意安全

絕對不要碰、抓或捉弄野生動物，就算是很小的動物，就算牠看起來在睡覺或已經死了也一樣。
給牠空間。如果遇到了，保持冷靜，慢慢往後退，讓牠自己離開。
如果被牠咬了：保持冷靜，保持不動，打緊急電話（112、000、911）或趕快去醫院。記住牠的樣子，有照片會很有幫助。

牠不是想來抓你。牠用毒液來捕捉食物或保護自己，而且牠更想躲起來。更多安全知識

在世界上的哪裡？

非洲亞洲歐洲北美洲南美洲澳洲與大洋洲

牠有多大？

牠有多長？

牠有多重？

跟 1,5 隻家貓一樣重

跟 3 隻狗從鼻子接到尾巴一樣長跟 18 根香蕉頭尾相接一樣長大約跟一隻家貓一樣重可以在 41 秒內跑完 100 公尺（最快的人類需要 9.6 秒）

King brown snake 跟「你」比起來有多大？

只是在你的瀏覽器裡做算術。什麼都不會儲存，也不會傳送到任何地方。

牠有多快？

一個正在走路的人 大約 5 km/h (3,1 mph)

King brown snake 大約 8,7 km/h (5,4 mph)

騎腳踏車的小朋友 大約 12 km/h (7,5 mph)

值得知道

小知識

Its name causes a real problem: its venom is not neutralised by brown snake antivenom, so the name has been criticised by medical researchers.1

It is the largest terrestrial venomous snake in Australia.1

In the Kaytetye language of Central Australia, it is called atetherr-ayne-wene, meaning "budgerigar-eater".1

Despite its common name, it belongs to the black snake genus Pseudechis and is only distantly related to true brown snakes.1

Males are around 20% larger than females.1

It has been reported to live up to 25 years in captivity.1

破解迷思

迷思： Because it is called a brown snake, brown snake antivenom will treat its bite.

真相： Its venom is not neutralised by brown snake antivenom. Victims are treated with black snake antivenom.1

給毒液專家

學名: Pseudechis australis
類群: 澳洲的蛇
家人: Elapidae2
排序: Squamata
各大洲: 澳洲與大洋洲
寶寶: King brown snakes lay eggs. A female produces a clutch of four to 19 eggs, usually around 10, which take 70 to 100 days to hatch.1
壽命: 大約 25 年1
牠在野外的狀況: Least concern (IUCN), though its numbers may have declined with the spread of the cane toad.1
對人的危險: 4 / 5: 非常危險3