North-western Shovel-nosed Snake
Brachyurophis approximans
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyElapidae (Elapid Snakes)
- GenusBrachyurophis (Shovel-nosed Snakes)
- SpeciesBrachyurophis approximans (North-western Shovel-nosed Snake)
About the North-western Shovel-nosed Snake
Brachyurophis approximans, also known as the north-western shovel-nosed snake, is a species of mildly venomous burrowing snake that is endemic to Australia. The specific epithet approximans ("approaching") alludes to its similarity to Brachyurophis campbelli.
The species grows to about 30 cm in length. There are some 50–80 dark brown bands along the body, much broader than the pale bands separating them. The belly is whitish. The species is oviparous, with a clutch size of three. It feeds on reptile eggs.
The species occurs in the arid Pilbara and adjacent areas of north-west Western Australia, in stony soils vegetated with Acacia. The type locality is Muccan Station in the Pilbara. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Ningaloo Marine Park
Olive Sea Snake
Aipysurus laevis
Mulga Snake
Pseudechis australis
Pilbara Death Adder
Acanthophis wellsi
Orange-naped Snake
Furina ornata
Stokes's Seasnake
Hydrophis stokesii
Reticulated Whipsnake
Demansia reticulata
Western Turtle-headed Sea Snake
Emydocephalus orarius
Black-necked Whipsnake
Demansia calodera
North-western Mangrove Sea Snake
Ephalophis greyae
Bar-bellied Sea Snake
Hydrophis elegans
Western Brown Snake
Pseudonaja mengdeni
Desert Banded Snake
Simoselaps bertholdi
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia |