Ringed Brown Snake
Pseudonaja modesta • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Elapidae, Subfamily: Hydrophiinae, Genus: Pseudonaja, Species: Pseudonaja modesta
Endemic to Australia, specifically widespread across the arid and semi-arid interior regions of the continent, including the Northern Territory (such as the Tanami region), Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales.
Look up Ringed Brown Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Elapidae, Subfamily: Hydrophiinae, Genus: Pseudonaja, Species: Pseudonaja modesta
Conservation
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution across remote inland Australia and presumed stable populations largely unaffected by direct habitat destruction.
Physical Description
A slender-bodied snake with a distinct dark band or collar across the back of the neck and head, sometimes with additional darker bands along the body, especially in juveniles. The overall dorsal coloration ranges from grey-brown to reddish-brown or olive. The head is relatively distinct from the neck with a rounded snout, and the eyes feature round pupils. Scales are smooth and glossy.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen appears to be an adult or sub-adult, approximately 40 to 60 cm in length. Typical maximum total length for the species is around 75 to 90 cm.
Habitat
Inhabits arid and semi-arid inland environments, predominantly found in open stony plains, spinifex grasslands, sparse shrublands, and mulga country. It often seeks shelter beneath rocks, fallen timber, or self-excavated burrows and cracks in dry soil.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on small vertebrates, notably reptiles such as small skinks and geckos, utilizing an active foraging strategy in microhabitats where prey is likely to hide.
Reproduction
Oviparous, laying clutches of eggs typically in underground burrows or beneath protective cover during the warmer months. Little specific detail is documented for the exact clutch size of this particular arid-adapted species, but related brown snakes typically lay 10 to 35 eggs.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution across remote inland Australia and presumed stable populations largely unaffected by direct habitat destruction.
Cultural Significance
Plays an important ecological role as both a predator of small reptiles and prey for larger desert predators, inhabiting remote Australian landscapes with minimal human interaction.
Notable Features
Known for its distinctive dark head and neck bands which contrast with its otherwise plain or softly shaded body, and its remarkable adaptation to extreme arid interior environments.
Notes
Found in the Tanami NT