Wildlife
Death adders include the fastest striking snake species in the world. Not only are they quick, they are also extremely venomous, causing paralysis and sometimes death. They are not active hunters, unlike most snakes, but lure prey into a deadly ambush.
Scientific name: Acanthophis
Rank: Genus
The shading illustrates the diversity of this group - the darker the colour the greater the number of species. Data provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Death adders can be found in a number of locations including: Australia. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
Acanthophis is a genus of elapid snakes. Commonly called death adders, they are native to Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands, and are among the most venomous snakes in the world. The name of the genus derives from the Ancient Greek acanthos/ἄκανθος "spine" and ophis/ὄφις "snake", referring to the spine on the death adder's tail.
Seven species are listed by ITIS, though it remains unclear how many species this genus includes, with figures ranging from 4 to 15 species being quoted (see Taxonomy).
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