A new snake, a Taipan , is discovered in Australia

27/07/2007 00:00:00 March 2006. Researchers from the Western Australian and South Australian Museums have announced an astonishing find from the Ngaanyatjarra lands in the central deserts of Western Australia. They have discovered a new species of taipan, the group that includes the world’s most venomous snake. Currently the species is only known to science from a single specimen collected in October 2006 during a biodiversity survey, 200 km northwest of Uluru (Ayers Rock). Dr. Mark Hutchinson caught the snake crossing a dirt track on a sunny afternoon. The snake was a similar size and colour to the western brown snake, and was tentatively identified as such during the field trip. Several weeks later at the WA Museum in Perth, collection manager Brad Maryan noticed its similarity to the coastal taipan. Further laboratory analyses, including DNA tests, confirmed that Brad’s hunch was correct, and that the specimen was a member of a new species of taipan unknown to science.

The discovery of the central ranges taipan was completely unexpected. The other two species of taipan do not occur in the sandy desert habitat typical of the central ranges of Australia – the nearest record is 800 km away. The last taipan to be described was the inland taipan more than 125 years ago

Taipans are Australia’s most charismatic and notorious snakes. The inland taipan of South Australia and Queensland is considered the most venomous snake in the world, while the coastal taipan of the tropical east and north is rated third.

The pedigree of this new taipan suggests that its venom will prove also to be extremely toxic. Just how toxic will remain a mystery until more individuals are found and their venom tested.

Apart from some mammal fur in its stomach we have no information on the ecology, behaviour or reproduction of the central ranges taipan. The only specimen is an immature female that is less than a metre in length, so even the adult size is unknown (the coastal taipan can exceed 3 m). Much remains to be discovered about this enigmatic snake species. Biodiversity surveys to the arid heart of Australia are critically needed – the central deserts and ranges are among the most biologically unknown regions of the continent. If a large, active snake such as the central ranges taipan has not been discovered until now, who knows what the next biological survey to the region will uncover?

The four agencies that participated in the survey (WA Museum, SA
Museum, Department of Environment & Conservation, WA) worked side by side with Ngaanyatjarra Council and traditional owners from the Tjukurla and Warakurna communities who granted permission for the team to carry out the survey on Ngaanyatjarra land with their logistical and financial assistance, cooperation and guidance.

The collaboration came about in order to make the first scientific inventory of the animal and plant species of the remote region. The survey was supported with seed funding of $50,000 from the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources.

The survey will provide baseline inventory data for two purposes. First, it will provide information needed to manage the threatened and already diminishing wildlife of central Australia, many species of which have cultural importance to the Ngaanyatjarra people. Second, the information will be collated into the Australian Government’s Australian National Heritage Assessment Tool, a crucial tool designed to assist the Government in assessing Australia’s most significant places for possible inclusion in the Natural Heritage List.