第 0164 號，共 1 402 號

Red-bellied black snake

Pseudechis porphyriacus

名字的由來： The species name porphyriacus comes from the Greek porphyrous, which can mean dark purple, red-purple or beauteous.1

需要看醫生很少致命，但被咬了需要看醫生。

澳洲的蛇

咬吃：肉

對人的危險: 嚴重被咬了需要看醫生。死亡案例非常罕見。

The red-bellied black snake is a venomous snake found along the east coast of Australia, where it is one of the most commonly met snakes. It is glossy black on top, with bright red or orange sides. It often lives near water, and it sometimes turns up in backyards in towns and cities.1

分布在

Eastern Australia, from central Queensland south through New South Wales and Victoria to South Australia1

澳洲與大洋洲

首頁

It is common in woodlands, forests, swamps, and along river banks and waterways. It often goes into nearby urban areas and backyards, and it prefers shallow water with tangles of water plants, logs or debris, such as dams, streams and billabongs.1

長度

2,5 m (8,4 ft)1

體重

10 kg (22 lb)1

最高速度

大約 7,8 km/h（4,8 mph）

在陸地上, 粗略估計

牠吃什麼？

It mainly eats frogs, and also hunts fish, tadpoles, lizards, small mammals and other snakes, including the eastern brown snake. It hunts on or under the water surface and may stir up the bottom to disturb prey.1

Red-bellied black snake 的照片 — Red-bellied black snake。照片：unknown。 CC0, iNaturalist.

怎麼認出牠

Glossy black upperparts with a light-grey snout and a completely black tail1
Bright red or orange flanks that fade to a pink or dull red belly1
No well-defined neck, so the head merges into the body1
Adults average about 1.25 m in total length, including the tail1

常被誤認為： Juveniles look similar to the eastern small-eyed snake, but that species lacks red flanks. Other similar snakes include the blue-bellied black snake and copperheads of the genus Austrelaps.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？

Its venom contains neurotoxins, which attack the nerves, myotoxins, which damage muscle, and coagulants, which affect blood clotting. It also has haemolytic properties, meaning it can break down red blood cells. Bites can cause severe pain, local swelling, prolonged bleeding and local tissue death, especially on a finger. Victims can also lose their sense of smell, and nausea, vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or heavy sweating can follow.1

牠對人有多危險？

對人的危險: 嚴重被咬了需要看醫生。死亡案例非常罕見。

No deaths have been recorded from its bite. It is less venomous than many other Australian elapid snakes, but it can still cause significant illness. It accounted for 16% of identified snakebite victims in Australia between 2005 and 2015. Severe local reactions may need surgery or, rarely, amputation.1

牠害怕時會做什麼？

It is not aggressive and usually withdraws. If provoked, it raises its head and front body into a striking stance, widens and flattens its neck, and may bite as a last resort.1

如果牠咬人

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 2,5 隻家貓一樣重

跟 2,5 隻狗從鼻子接到尾巴一樣長跟 14 根香蕉頭尾相接一樣長可以在 46 秒內跑完 100 公尺（最快的人類需要 9.6 秒）

Red-bellied black 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)

Red-bellied black snake 大約 7,8 km/h (4,8 mph)

騎腳踏車的小朋友 大約 12 km/h (7,5 mph)

值得知道

小知識

It can stay underwater for as long as 23 minutes after fleeing into water.1

Some populations have evolved increased resistance to cane toad toxin in less than 75 years.1

Males of the species may wrestle in ritualised combat in spring, and rarely bite while doing so.1

A male was reported to travel 1,220 m in a single day while roaming for mates in spring.1

In winter it becomes relatively inactive rather than truly hibernating, and groups of up to six have been found under concrete slabs.1

破解迷思

迷思： The red-bellied black snake is harmless and not venomous, because it has no visible fangs.

真相： It is venomous and front-fanged, like all elapid snakes. It is less dangerous than many other Australian species, and no deaths have been recorded from its bite.1

給毒液專家

學名: Pseudechis porphyriacus
類群: 澳洲的蛇
家人: Elapidae2
排序: Squamata
各大洲: 澳洲與大洋洲
寶寶: It gives birth to live young, usually in February or March, with between eight and 40 young per litter.1
壽命: 大約 25 年1
牠在野外的狀況: Least concern (IUCN), although its numbers are thought to be declining1
對人的危險: 3 / 5: 嚴重3