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Dugite
Pseudonaja affinis
The dugite (; Pseudonaja affinis) is a species of highly venomous, potentially lethal snake endemic to Western Australia, a member of the family Elapidae.
The word dugite is an anglicisation of names for the snake in some dialects of the Nyungar language, including toogitj, dukayj and dukitj. However, another, probably cognate name, dobitj, has become the common name for dugites in Nyungar (a potential source of confusion, as dobitj is also used in some dialects to refer to other kinds of venomous snakes).
From the article Dugite on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
The dugite is a venomous snake, considered dangerous. It is coloured grey, green, or brown. The colours vary widely between individuals and are an unreliable means of identifying the species. Black scales can be scattered over the body; their scales are relatively large with a semi-glossy appearance. The most distinguishing characteristic is the head that can be rather small and indistinct from the neck. A dugite's body is long and slender in build and can grow up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in total length (including tail), but the typical size is roughly 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in).
Range & habitat
P. affinis is found in southern parts of Western Australia and in remote coastal parts of western South Australia. The dugite occupies a wide variety of habitats ranging from coastal dunes and heathlands to shrub lands and woodlands. It also appears to thrive in heavily degraded habitats such as golf courses, industrial areas, and open agricultural farmlands. The dugite has increased in population since the opening up of its natural habitats and introduction of the house mouse due to the mouse being a main food source for it. In the Perth metropolitan area, the dugite is one of the most common snakes found next to buildings. In areas of human population, the snake will take temporary shelter under concrete slabs, fibro sheeting, roofing tin, and such, although in more natural habitats, it will shelter under rocks and in abandoned termite mounds. It also burrows during the winter.
Wikipedia: “Distribution and habitat”
What it does
In the wild, dugites may be sheltering beneath logs and rocks. When disturbed, they are very shy and often slither away, but they will defend themselves if cornered. The species is diurnal. On hot days, activity occurs mainly in the morning, and to a lesser extent in the afternoon.
Wikipedia: “Behaviour”
Toxicity
The venom of P. affinis is potentially one of the most lethal in the world, causing coagulopathic and procoagulant effects. Dugites generally avoid biting humans, but risks of encounters increase when they are most active during the mating season through October and November. The last human death attributed to a dugite was in August 2015 in South Fremantle, when a woman was bitten on her heel mid-afternoon while walking alone. She walked home and later collapsed whilst her husband was taking her to her car to transport her to the hospital. The ambulance was called, arriving five minutes later, but medics were unable to revive her. In January 2011, a seven-year-old Perth boy was bitten and temporarily paralyzed after a dugite entered his bedroom and wrapped itself around his arm while he slept. After receiving immediate medical attention, he made a full recovery. In December 2020, a three-year-old girl was bitten by a snake, believed to be a dugite, while playing in a courtyard at her grandmother's unit complex in Mandurah. Her grandmother quickly immobilised her and wrapped her legs in pressure bandages. The girl was treated with anti-venom in hospital and made a full recovery.
Wikipedia: “Envenomation”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Pseudonaja affinis in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 35148.