How to Identify the Short-Nosed Snake (Identification Guide)
A small burrowing Australian elapid identified by its blunt, shortened snout and smooth, cylindrical, uniformly colored body.
Read the full Short-Nosed Snake encyclopedia entry →Key identifying features
The Short-Nosed Snake is a small, burrowing elapid distinguished chiefly by its blunt, noticeably shortened snout, an adaptation for pushing through loose soil and leaf litter. This head shape, combined with an otherwise plain body, is the key identifying trait.
Coloration & pattern
The body is typically a fairly uniform grey-brown, reddish-brown, or dark brown, without strong bands or blotches. The belly is pale cream to pinkish, generally unmarked or only lightly speckled. Some individuals may show a faintly darker vertebral tone but overall patterning is minimal.
Head, eyes & scales
The most notable feature is the short, blunt snout that gives the head a rounded, compact profile rather than the more elongated look of many other small elapids. Eyes are small to moderate with round pupils, and scales are smooth and glossy, aiding movement through soil.
Size & body shape
This is a small, cylindrical, muscular-bodied species adapted for a semi-fossorial lifestyle, typically under 40 to 50 cm in length, with a stout build relative to its length compared to more slender surface-active elapids.
Range & habitat where you'll see it
Found in sandy or loose-soiled woodlands, heath, and forest floor habitats in parts of Australia, usually underground or under surface litter, logs, and rocks. It is rarely encountered in the open, being adapted to a burrowing lifestyle.
How to tell it apart from look-alikes
The short, blunt snout is the most reliable feature separating this species from other small plain-colored elapids such as the Grey Snake, which have a more typical, less compressed snout shape. The generally stouter, more cylindrical body also helps distinguish it from more slender surface-foraging species.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main identifying feature of the Short-Nosed Snake?
Its blunt, noticeably shortened snout, adapted for burrowing through soil and leaf litter.
Is the body strongly patterned?
No, the body is typically a fairly uniform grey-brown to reddish-brown with minimal patterning.
What kind of habitat does it prefer?
Sandy or loose-soiled woodlands, heath, and forest floor habitats where it can burrow.
How does its body shape differ from other small elapids?
It has a stouter, more cylindrical, muscular body suited to burrowing rather than the slimmer build of surface-active species.
Short-Nosed Snake identified by the community
Recent Short-Nosed Snake specimens identified with Snake Identifier.
