Demansia psammophis (Schlegel, 1837)

Common Name & Body Shape

Demansia psammophis, commonly called the yellow-faced whip snake, is a slender species with a narrow head.

Size & Sexual Dimorphism

It reaches a maximum total length of 1 meter (39 inches), with an average length of around 80 centimeters (31 inches); females are slightly smaller than males.

Adult Head Markings

The species can be distinguished from other snakes in the Demansia genus by specific head markings: a narrow yellowish head, a pale ring around the eyes, and a dark curved marking along the upper lip.

Juvenile Head Markings

Juveniles have an additional distinguishing feature: a white-edged dark line across the snout.

Eye Characteristics

D. psammophis has large, prominent eyes encircled by a pale ring, and has the largest eyes of any Australian snake.

Eye Function

This trait supports its success as a diurnal species by aiding in prey capture.

Body Coloration

Its body color varies, ranging from olive green to grey and brown, but most individuals have a shared color characteristic: a red flush along the anterior third of the back.

Identification Requirements

Accurate identification of this species requires a clear view of the head and a count of the dorsal scales at the snake's mid-body.

Scale Characteristics

D. psammophis has 15 mid-body dorsal scale rows, 165 to 230 ventrals, and divided anal and subcaudal scales.

Similar Species

It is often confused with the eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) due to their similar appearance.

Geographic Distribution

D. psammophis is distributed across most of Australia, and is present in every Australian state except Tasmania.

Endemism

Despite its wide range across the continent, it is endemic to Australia.

Habitat Range

It occupies a wide variety of habitats, from coastal forests to arid scrublands and grasslands in Australia's interior.

Social Behavior

This snake is a community dweller, so it is not unusual to find multiple individuals together.

Communal Shelter & Aggregation

They commonly share habitats in rock crevices and under logs, and communities often aggregate during the winter months.

Reproductive Mode

D. psammophis is oviparous.

Clutch Size Ranges

It lays egg clutches of two size ranges: 5 to 6 eggs, and 15 to 20 eggs.

Communal Nesting

Communal egg laying is common for this species, and some communal nests hold as many as 500 to 600 eggs.

Female Reproductive Timing

For female D. psammophis, vitellogenesis occurs between September and November, and ovulation takes place in late spring or summer.

Egg Laying Period

Eggs are laid in February and March.

Hatchling Size

Each newly hatched juvenile has an approximate snout-to-vent length of 17 centimeters (6.7 inches).