Demansia

Demansia
The Yellow-faced Whip snake Demansia psammophis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Elapidae
Genus:	Demansia Gray, 1842

Demansia is a genus of snake of the Elapidae order. Demansia as also known as whip snakes,and all species of the family is painted on gray, cuttlefish, brown, gray-green or kaki and the unique specie in cream colour is the Yellow-faced whip snake. Whip snakes are very long and narrow. The species is venomous. Whip snakes are located around Australia, Port Moresby and the nearby islands.

Diet

Whip snakes eat mainly lizards. Whip snakes are diurnal (active in the day), and use their keen eyesight to locate prey. The victim dies fast by the active venom effects.

Venom

The whip snakes venom is relatively weak, however they are known to have a very painful bite. Envenomation by a large specimen should be considered dangerous and medical attention should be sought.

Species

• Demansia atra
• Demansia calodera
• Demansia olivacea
• Demansia papuensis
• Demansia psammophis
• Demansia rufescens
• Demansia simplex
• Demansia torquata
• Demansia vestigata
• Demansia textilis
• Demansia shinei

Original publication

• Gray, J. E. 1842. Description of some hitherto unrecorded species of Australian reptiles and batrachians. Zoological Miscellany 51—57 (London: Treuttel, Würtz & Co)