A Record of a Crowned Snake, Elapongaths Coronathus on the Darling Range, Perth, Western Australia

2011·1.2 MB·English

by  Brad Maryan

A RECORD OF A CROWNED SNAKE, ELAPOQNATHUS
CORONATUS ON THE DARLING RANGE, PERTH,
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
By BRAD MARYAN
169 Egina Street, Mount Hawthorn 6016
and DAVID ALGABA
42B Grenville Street, Tuart Hill 6060
Even the local distributions of south of the Perth region and
some reptiles in the Perth region especially on the south coast
are uncertain with several new (pers. obs.). This species is generally
records of species recorded for associated with coastal plains (Storr
the first time south of the Swan et al 2002) or coastal woodlands,
River, that include Lucasium heaths and swamps (Wilson and
alboguttatum (Turpin 1990), Delma Swan 2008), which is reflected
concinna concinna (Thompson by the Western Australian
and Thompson 2007) and Lerista Museum records in the Perth
lineopunctulata (Davis and Bamford region that include specimens
2005). Generally in the Perth post 1970 from Riverton (R39781),
region some reptile species only Jandakot (R47649), Rossmoyne
inhabit either the Swan Coastal (R60877), Muchea (R96240) and
Plain or the Darling Range, while Perth Airport (R119467). All of our
many occur in both (Bush et al limited number of observations
2010). However, some species can of this species in the Perth region
be recorded for the first time in thus far have been from the Swan
a habitat they are not generally Coastal Plain south of the Swan
associated with, for example River and to our knowledge we
Ramphotyphlops pinguis on the Swan are not aware of any records from
Coastal Plain (Algaba 2005). the elevated lateritic plateau of the
Darling Range.
The endemic Western Australian
venomous land snake Elapognathus On 18 September 2010 at 11.15 am,
coronatus (Schlegel 1837) is one one of us (DA) raked (using a
of 15 species of elapid snake three-pronged cultivator) from
recorded from the Perth region, Xanthorrhoea debris a juvenile
which is the northern limit of E. coronatus (Figure 1) on Leona
its distribution. Being at the end Road at 32°14'12"S 116°19'27"E,
of its range it is consequently approximately 13 kilometres south
scarce (Storr et al. 1978; Bush et al of Mount Dale. The vegetation
2010). It is however more abundant at the collection site consisted
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Figure 1. Juvenile Crowned Snake recorded on the Darling Range.
of a mixed Jarrah/Wandoo al 2000), it was photographed
woodland at the base of a low and released after capture. This
lateritic rise and adjacent to a is in keeping with our belief
low-lying Melaleuca preissiana that a museum specimen of
shrubland with Xanthorrhoea. The easily identifiable species is not
low-lying area with Paperbark necessary. In our opinion, a clear
and Grass trees would become photographic record that can be
seasonally inundated following stored on an observations database
sufficient rains and provide a is all that is required and should
suitable breeding location for be mandatory for records of those
small frogs (e.g. Crinia spp.) which larger, long-lived reptiles.
are, along with small skinks, the The collection of E. coronatus on
preferred prey of E. coronatus. In the Darling Range represents an
this regard, the habitat is very
interesting distributional record
similar to those ephemeral swamps
and highlights the paucity of
on the Swan Coastal Plain where fauna surveys in the region. It
we have observed E. coronatus. also underlines that there are
Owing to the obvious identi¬ significant gaps in even the
fication of the snake (the broad most basic information on the
black bar across the nape is easily distribution of herpetofauna
diagnosable in this species) and the inhabiting southwestern Western
previous resolution of this species' Australia, ironically the most
molecular phylogeny (Keogh et intensely developed part of this
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state while being recognised STORR, G.M., HAROLD, G. and
globally as a ‘biodiversity hotspot’. BARRON, G. 1978. Amphibians
and reptiles of the northern
Swan Coastal Plain. Pp 173-203.
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