Suborder Serpentes Phylum Chordata Rank Species | Class Reptilia Order Scaled reptiles | |
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Similar Cacophis, Demansia psammophis, Bandy‑bandy, Red‑naped snake, Tropidechis carinatus | ||
The Golden-crowned Snake (Cacophis squamulosus) is a small Australian elapid snake. Like other Cacophis species, the Golden Crowned-snake is a forest specialist, particularly rainforest. Average length is generally 50 cm long, but may reach 90 cm, making it the largest of the Crowned-snakes. Only mildly venomous, however will bluff and mock bite if threatened, rearing into an S-shape to display its bright orange ventral pigmentation. Bites from larger individuals may present a health risk however it is more likely to intimidate. Diet consists mostly of skinks and other small lizards which it hunts at night, may also take frogs and tadpoles.
Found along the Australian east from Canberra, NSW, to Cairns, QLD, this snake prefers deeper forested areas, particularly rain forest on mountain slopes, however can show up in suburbs near waterways and moist environments with good ground cover and shelter.
Dorsal surface grayish-brown to dark brown, ventral surface with orange to pink with mid line of black spots. The 'Crown' of pale yellow-brown stripe starting at snout & sweeping back along both sides of face, not connecting at the back like C. kreffttii or C. harriettae, instead trailing down the neck. 15 mid-body scales.
