top 10 most dangerous snakes

[eipper]

HI all,
The following is from research conducted by Bryan Fry, this list is different to the widely published list from Sutherland et al due to the mis -understanding of it.

Sutherland's list contained 20 Australian species with 3 exotic controls (Naja naja (but may of been N. kaouthia this name was only generally accepted in the late 80's), Crotalus adamanteus and Ophiophagus hannah), this why Australia is so often misquoted as having the top 10 most toxic snakes on the planet.

It should also be mentioned that the tissue that the venom is injected into can change the effective toxicity of the venom. As the fang length and bite angle varies dependant upon both species and individual size this may make a different revelevant analysis. For example, it would be highly unlikey for a small fanged species such as Pseudonaja textilis to inject venom at the same site as Bitis gaboonica which can have fangs over 45mm in length....a Gabby would most likely give an intramuscular bite as opposed to a sub cutaneous bite and vice versa.


Cheers,
Scott Eipper

I have put the Australian species in bold

The following is taken from Bryan Fry's Website


Sub-cutaneous LD-50s
Scientific name Common name LD-50 (mg/kg)
Notes
Oxyuranus microlepidotusInland taipan0.025Formerly known as fierce snake or small-scaled snake
Pseudonaja textilisEastern brown snake0.0365
Aipysurus duboisiiDubois's sea snake0.044
Pelamis platurusYellow bellied sea snake0.067
Acalyptophis peroniiHorned sea snake0.079
Oxyuranus scutellatusCoastal taipan0.106Oxyuranus scutellatus canni (Papua New Guinea taipan) should be considered as having the same venom composition until proven otherwise
Bungarus multicinctusMany banded krait0.108
Hydrophis melanosomaBlack banded sea snake0.111
Enhydrina schistosaBeaked sea snake0.1125
Boulengeria christyiCongo water cobra0.12
Notechis a. nigerPeninsula tiger snake0.131
Boulengeria annulataBanded water cobra0.143
Echis carinatusSaw-scaled viper0.151Species complex, geographical data not given
Hydrophis stricticollissea snake species0.164
Hydrophis majorOlive-headed sea snake0.193
Notechis a. occidentalisWestern tiger snake0.194
Crotalus tigrisTiger rattlesnake0.21
Notechis scutulatusMainland tiger snake0.214
Hydrophis elegansElegant sea snake0.26
Aipysurus laevisOlive sea snake0.264
Laticauda semifasciataBroad banded sea krait0.273
Naja atraChinese cobra0.29
Dendroaspis polylepsisBlack mamba0.32
Notechis a. serventyiChapel island tiger snake0.338
Hydrophis nigrocinctusDuadin's sea snake0.343
Crotalus scututatus Mojave green rattlesnake0.34
Bungarus caeruleusIndian krait0.365
Walterinnesia aegyptiaDesert cobra0.4
Laticauda colubrinaWide faced sea krait0.435
Naja najaSpectacled cobra0.45Careful - any Asiatic cobra may have been referred to as N. naja in the past
Hydrophis cyanocinctusAnnulated sea snake0.464
Pseudonaja nuchalisGwardar/Western brown snake0.473Species complex
Acanthophis antarcticusCommon death adder0.5Species complex, geographical data not indicated
Austrelaps superbusLowland copperhead0.5
Lapemis hardwickiiHardwicke's sea snake0.541
Pseudonaja affinisDugite0.66
Dendroaspis viridisWestern green mamba0.7
Naja niveaCape cobra0.72
Daboia russelli russelliRussell's viper subspecies0.75
Dendroaspis jamesoniJameson's mamba1
Pseudechis papuanusPapuan black snake1.09
Naja hajeEgyptian cobra1.15Give locality - southern African forms now regarded as separate species, N. annulifera
Micrurus fulviuscoral snake sp.1.3
Hoplocephalus stephensiStephen's banded snake1.36
Daboia russelii formosensisRussell's viper subspecies1.37Synonym of D.r. siamensis, locality info lacking
Ophiophagus hannahKing cobra1.7Give locality, this species is about to be split
Pseudechis australisMulga snake1.94
Pseudechis porphyriacusRed-bellied black snake2
Pseudechis guttatusSpotted black snake2.13
Pseudechis collettiCollett's snake2.38
Hemachatus haemachatusRinkhals2.65
Cryptophis nigrescensSmall eyed snake2.67
Crotalus basciliscusMexican west-coast rattlesnake2.8
Dendroaspis angusticepsEastern green mamba3.05
Crotalus horridus horridusTimber rattlesnake3.1
Bungarus fasciatusBanded krait3.6
Vipera latifiiTrue viper species4.61
Tropidolaemus wagleriWagler's viper6.19Formerly in Trimeresurus genus
Vipera bornmuelleriTrue viper species6.25
Vipera berusAdder6.45
Vipera ammodytesLong-nosed viper6.59
Bothrops jararacaJararaca7
Trimeresurus gramineusIndian green tree viper8.6T. gramineus is a rare species, most venoms thus labelled in the literature come from other species
Deinagkistrodon acutusSharp-nosed pit viper9.2Fomerly in Agkistrodon genus
Vipera palaestinaePalestine viper9.4
Crotalus exulrattlesnake species9.92
Bitis gabonicaGaboon viper12.5
Trimeresurus albolabrisWhite lipped tree viper12.75
Bothrops jararacussuJararacussu'13
Crotalus polystictusMexican blotched rattlesnake13.3
Bothrops neuwiediJararaca pintada14.2
Crotalus adamanteusEastern diamondback rattlesnake14.6
Causus rhombeatusNight adder15
Cerastes cerastesDesert horned viper15
Bothrops alternatusUrutu15.8
Macrovipera lebetinaLevantine viper16Specimens from N. Africa are referrable to M. mauretanica
Crotalus atroxWestern diamondback rattlesnake18.5
Gloydius blomhoffiMamushi20
Bothrops atroxTerciopelo22Species complex, geographical origin not given
Calloselasma rhodostomaMalayan pit viper23.4Fomerly in Agkistrodon genus.
Crotalus lepidus klauberiRock rattlesnake23.95
Sistrurus milarius barbouriRed pygmy rattlesnake24.3
Emydocephalus annulatusTurtle-headed sea snake25
Agkistrodon contortrix contortrixSouthern copperhead25.6
Agkistrodon piscovorusCottomouth/ Water moccasin25.8
Bothriechis schlegeliiEyelash viper33.2Formerly in Bothrops genus
Lachesis mutaBushmaster36.9Give locality, as L. muta recently split into 3 species
Demansia olivaceaOlive whip snake714.2

 

[mrmikk]

Dangerous/Deadliest and most venomous, two different terms and shouldn't be confused.

The deadliest ten snakes is a list made up of those snake which have caused the most human deaths, hence the term deadly.

The most venomous ten (land) snakes is a list usually compiled based on the LD50 test, which measure a snake's venom toxicity.

You will find the Russel's Viper, Daboia russelli and Saw-scaled Viper, Echis carinatus, are considered the most deadly due to the high number of human fatalities they cause within their respective ranges.

The world's most venomous land snake is the Inland Taipan, Oxyuranus microlepidotus however there has been no recorded human fatalities caused by this snake.

This is a fairly commonly debated topic, you'll find a fairly recent one here:
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes/australias-most-deadly-snakes-75001

 

[waruikazi]

IMO Australia does not have any of the most dangerous snakes in the world. There is no doubt we have the most venomous but your chances of surviving a snake bite in australia is way better than all developing countries. IMO the saw scale viper is the most dangerous, it claims upto 40 000 people a year from memory.

 

[user 16446]

For Sydney residents, TVS Tuesday 12th at midday and Thursday 14th at 4.30pm, Deadly Australians - Arid and Wetlands.

I watched it on Saturday and it was fantastic.

There are two more episodes too, Urban and Forest.

 

[cockney red]

The most dangerous snake in the world is the one that just bit you...

 

[GSXR_Boy]

The most dangerous snake in the world is the one that just bit you...

Or the old trouser snake. I think that has caused more trouble worldwide than any venomous ones.

 

[cockney red]

Or the old trouser snake. I think that has caused more trouble worldwide than any venomous ones.

That! Josh, is for sure...haha

 

[oreo1]

heard that the most toxic snake in the world is the faint banded sea snake found in the pacific ocean :shock: its still quite scary that most if not all the top ten most venemos are found in australia

 

[redbellybite]

It depends on what you call the most deadliest,

IMO if the list is the most venemouse to mice then yes inland tiapans are on the top, if it was most venemous to mice then I beleive a red belly would most probably be higher, but then again if you counted the most dangerous then black mamba would be alo higher and so would cobra becuase they account for alot more deaths, I personaly believe the most dangerous snake in australia to be the coastal tiapan, yes it may be third on the list of venom but they are alot more common in tropical australia unlike thier cousins the inland tiapan, also as most people that have handled browns and tiapans would no, browns imo are alot easier to control on a hook and dont fly around as fas (once again imo).

So it basicly comes down to what you consider dangerous.

YEAH this one was such a well behaved pussy cat scorps:lol::lol:
Eastern Browns are encounted by more people Australia wide then a coastal Taipan ..
Eastern Browns SHOULD NOT BE put on the "she'll be right mate " list EVER!

 

[DanTheMan]

I agree with RedBelly, Taipans are no where near as common and their range is much smaller than Eastern Browns.
Although i have never handled a Taipan, I'm sure it would be a bit more work than a Brown

 

[cockney red]

YEAH this one was such a well behaved pussy cat scorps:lol::lol:
Eastern Browns are encounted by more people Australia wide then a coastal Taipan ..
Eastern Browns SHOULD NOT BE put on the "she'll be right mate " list EVER!

In my geographicaly limited experience, i agree wholeheartedly, i cannot perceive of a more dangerous snake anywhere, than a Eastern Brown.

 

[colooch]

A bite from a snake can be fatal if no anti venom is given, but a constrictor squeezing the life out you and you ending up in its stomach is much scarier, im sure there would be more than 10 different constrictors that could eat you! so my opinion i think they would be far more dangerous by a mile.

 

[Mayhem]

from Manbir online you get this list
List of Deadliest Snakes in the world as per their ranking : - 1) Fierce Snake or Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus ), Australia. The most toxic venom of any snake. Maximum yield recorded (for one bite) is 110mg. That would porbably be enough to kill over 100 people or 250,000 mice. These rare snakes are vitually unknown in collections outside of Australia.
2) Australian Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis ), Australia. One 1/14,000 of an ounce of this vemon is enough to kill a person.
3) Malayan Krait (Bungarus candidus ), Southeast Asia and Indonesia. 50% of the bites from this snake are fatal even with the use of antivenin treatment.
4) Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus ), Australia. The venom delivered in a single Taipan bite is enough to kill up to 12,000 guinea pigs.
5) Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus ), Australia.
6) Beaked Sea Snake (Enhydrina schistosa ), South Asian waters Arabian Sea to Coral Sea..
7) Saw Scaled Viper (Echis carinatus ), Middle East Asia.
8) Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius ), North America.
9) Boomslang (Dispholidus typus ), Africa.
10) Death Adder (Acanthopis antarcticus ), Australia and New Guinea.
11) Black Mamba, both species of Green Mambas, and the Mojave Rattlesnake.

There are many factors that influence the seriousness of a bite. The factors include the individual’s health, size, age, and psychological state. The nature of the bite may also vary, like penetration of one or both fangs, amount of venom injected , location of the bite , and proximity to major blood vessels. The health of the snake and the interval since it last used its venom mechanism is also important. These multiple variables make every bite unique. Depending on circumstances, the bite of a “mildly” venomous snake may be life-threatening and that of a “strongly” venomous snake may not.

That list also takes into account human contact by the looks of things too....

 

[Reptile_Boy]

just ask sdaji

 

[Goodoo]

I am suprised by the Coral snake in North America. When I worked in Arizona we had a hayshed full of them. The Mexicans were **** scared and ran away whenever they saw one. One pommy bloke was sure they were harmless and would pick them up to scare the Mexicans. I kept clear, but was not as worried as the Mexicans. I did find out later that they were poisenous but I thought there fangs were short and they were not agresive.

 

[cockney red]

A bite from a snake can be fatal if no anti venom is given, but a constrictor squeezing the life out you and you ending up in its stomach is much scarier, im sure there would be more than 10 different constrictors that could eat you! so my opinion i think they would be far more dangerous by a mile.

:shock::shock::shock::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Jonno from ERD]

It's a question that can't be answered really...it depends on what you're referring to. For someone experienced with handling venomous snakes, Eastern Browns are quite predictable and easy to handle. I am more wary catching wild Tiger Snakes and Rough Scales than I am of Eastern Browns. Coastal Taipans are arguably the most dangerous snake for an experienced handler to deal with though.

 

[snakes_666]

I found this link from avru

http://www.avru.org/general/general_mostvenom.html

 

[flood]

A coastal tia in my view is the most dangerous because of there size,venom and they are very smart snakes but an eastern brown on a hot day is all so very dangerous.

 

[BJC-787]

IMO Australia does not have any of the most dangerous snakes in the world. There is no doubt we have the most venomous but your chances of surviving a snake bite in australia is way better than all developing countries. IMO the saw scale viper is the most dangerous, it claims upto 40 000 people a year from memory.

but what if they had a snake with the venom of the inland taipan than it would probably kill a million people a year because of the lack of first aid.