Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: May 26th, 2024.
 
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Genus
Acanthophis
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Death Adders, Deaf Adders
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Todesottern
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Dødsorme
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1803 |  |
Acanthurus Daudin [not Acanthurus Forsskål 1775 (Pisces)] (type species: Acanthophis cerastinus Daudin 1803) |
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1803 | |
Acanthophis Daudin [substitute name for Acanthurus Daudin 1803] |
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1815 | |
Acanthophis Leach [not Acanthophis Daudin 1803] (type species: Acanthophis brownii Leach 1815) |
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1820 | |
Ophryas Merrem (type species: Ophryas acanthophis Merrem 1820) |
Contents:
9 species, of which 8 (88.9%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0%  100%
Remarks:
Previously all death adder populations were included in antarcticus (e.g., Boulenger 1896; Worrell 1963). Subsequently, praelongus and pyrrhus were revalidated as separate species, and new species have been described. Most recently, also rugosus and laevis were revalidated for New Guinean and some northern Australian populations, although they are likely to be split into further species in the future, pending a taxonomic review of these populations. Also the taxonomic status of eastern Indonesian island populations (Aru Islands, Ceram, Haruku, Kai Islands, Mafoor, Obi, Saparua, Schouten Islands, Tanimbar Islands, Yapen) remain unclear, although ceramensis is regarded as a valid species herein, following Wallach, Williams & Boundy (2014).
Distribution:
E. Malay Archipelago, Australia.
Reported from:
Australia
(New South Wales,
Northern Territory,
Queensland
[incl.
Fraser Island,
Torres Strait Islands],
South Australia,
Victoria,
Western Australia),
Indonesia
(Ambon,
Aru Islands,
Biak,
Bisa,
Haruku,
Kai Islands,
Numfoor,
Obi,
Saparua,
Seram,
Supiori,
Tanimbar Islands
[incl.
Yamdena],
Western New Guinea,
Yapen),
Papua New Guinea
(Eastern New Guinea).
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Acanthophis antarcticus
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Southern Death Adder, Common Death Adder
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Südliche Todesotter, Gewöhnliche Todesotter
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Sydlig Dødsorm, Almindelig Dødsorm
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1802 | |
Boa antarctica Shaw & Nodder |
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Acanthophis antarctica Gray 1842 |
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1802 | |
Boa palpebrosa Shaw (Golay & al. 1993) |
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1803 | |
Acanthophis cerastinus Daudin (Golay & al. 1993) |
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1814 | |
Acanthophis ambigua Leach (Golay & al. 1993) |
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1814 | |
Acanthophis brownii Leach (Golay & al. 1993) |
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1819 | |
Acanthophis cerastes Say (Golay & al. 1993) |
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1820 | |
Ophryas acanthophis Merrem (Golay & al. 1993) |
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1851 | |
Vipera sorda Salvado (Golay & al. 1993) |
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1989 | |
Acanthophis barkley Mollier, Chwetzoff, Frachon & Ménez (Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014) |
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2002 | |
Acanthophis antarcticus cliffrosswellingtoni Hoser (Kaiser, Crother, Kelly, Luiselli, O'Shea, Ota, Passos, Schleip & Wüster 2013) |
Remarks:
Indonesian and New Guinean records refer to other species of this genus. See remarks under genus. Not included for Victoria by Cogger (2014), although listed for the state by several other authors.
Distribution:
Australia
(New South Wales,
Queensland
[incl.
Fraser Island],
South Australia,
Victoria,
Western Australia).
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Acanthophis antarcticus
© Rune Midtgaard
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Acanthophis ceramensis
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Seram Death Adder
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Seram-Todesotter
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Seram-dødsorm
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1863 | |
Acanthophis cerastinus ceramensis Günther |
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Acanthophis ceramensis Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Distribution:
Indonesia
(Ambon,
Haruku,
Seram,
Tanimbar Islands
[incl.
Yamdena]).
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Acanthophis cryptamydros
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Kimberley Death Adder
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Kimberley-Todesotter
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Kimberley-dødsorm
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2015 | |
Acanthophis cryptamydros Maddock, Ellis, Doughty, Smith & Wüster |
Remarks:
Referred to as lancasteri by Wilson & Swan (2017), although this name has largely been treated as a nomen nudum (e.g., Aplin & Smith 2001)
and not used in the literature since its description, and the validity of the name has been debated (Ellis 2017).
Distribution:
Australia
(Northern Territory,
Western Australia).
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Acanthophis hawkei
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Barkly Tableland Death Adder, Blacksoil Death Adder
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Barkly-Tableland-Todesotter
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Barkly-dødsorm
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1985 | |
Acanthophis hawkei Wells & Wellington |
Remarks:
Status uncertain. Previously regarded as a synonym of rugosus (e.g., Wüster, Dumbrell, Hay, Pook, Williams & Fry 2005). Considered a valid species by several authors (e.g., Swanson 2007; Cogger 2014; Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014).
Distribution:
Australia
(Northern Territory,
Queensland).
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Acanthophis laevis
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Smooth-scaled Death Adder
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Glatschuppen-Todesotter
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Glatskællet Dødsorm
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1878 | |
Acanthophis laevis Macleay |
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2002 | |
Acanthophis groenveldi Hoser (Kaiser, Crother, Kelly, Luiselli, O'Shea, Ota, Passos, Schleip & Wüster 2013) |
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2002 | |
Acanthophis macgregori Hoser (Kaiser, Crother, Kelly, Luiselli, O'Shea, Ota, Passos, Schleip & Wüster 2013) |
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2002 | |
Acanthophis yuwoni Hoser (Kaiser, Crother, Kelly, Luiselli, O'Shea, Ota, Passos, Schleip & Wüster 2013) |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym of antarcticus (e.g., Loveridge 1948; Golay & al. 1993). Now considered a distinct species complex (Wüster, Dumbrell, Hay, Pook, Williams & Fry 2005). Records from Ambon are herein tentatively assigned to ceramensis.
Distribution:
Papua New Guinea
(Eastern New Guinea).
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Acanthophis praelongus
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Northeastern Death Adder, (Northern Death Adder)
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Nördliche Todesotter
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Nordlig Dødsorm
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1877 | |
Acanthophis praelongus Ramsay |
Remarks:
Wüster, Dumbrell, Hay, Pook, Williams & Fry (2005) restricted praelongus to northeastern Queensland. Records from northwestern Queensland, Northern Territory, and the Merauke region of Western New Guinea (Indonesia) refer to rugosus. Also see remarks under genus. Previously regarded as a synonym of antarcticus (e.g., Cogger 1975 [by implication]). Revalidated by Storr (1981).
Distribution:
Australia
(Queensland
[incl.
Torres Strait Islands]).
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Acanthophis praelongus
© Rune Midtgaard
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Acanthophis pyrrhus
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Desert Death Adder
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Wüsten-Todesotter
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Ørkendødsorm
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1898 | |
Acanthophis pyrrhus Boulenger |
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Acanthophis antarcticus pyrrhus Kinghorn 1956 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym or subspecies of antarcticus (e.g., Worrell 1963). Revalidated by Cogger (1975).
Distribution:
Australia
(New South Wales,
Northern Territory,
Queensland,
South Australia,
Western Australia).
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Acanthophis pyrrhus
© Rune Midtgaard
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Acanthophis rugosus
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Rough-scaled Death Adder, (Papuan Death Adder)
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Rauhschuppen-Todesotter
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Ruskællet Dødsorm
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1948 | |
Acanthophis antarcticus rugosus Loveridge |
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Acanthophis rugosus Wells & Wellington 1984 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym or subspecies of antarcticus (e.g., Loveridge 1948) or praelongus (e.g., Golay & al. 1993). Now considered a species complex (Wüster, Dumbrell, Hay, Pook, Williams & Fry 2005; Maddock, Ellis, Doughty, Smith & Wüster 2015). Some Australian populations previously assigned to rugosus are now regarded as separate species (cryptamydros, hawkei), although the status of both hawkei and the remaining (incl. the Papuan) rugosus populations remain uncertain. Records from Western Australia refer to cryptamydros.
Distribution:
Australia
(Northern Territory,
Queensland),
Indonesia
(Western New Guinea).
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Acanthophis rugosus
© Rune Midtgaard
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Acanthophis wellsi
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Pilbara Death Adder
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Pilbara-Todesotter
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Pilbara-dødsorm
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1998 | |
Acanthophis wellsi Aplin & Donnellan |
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Acanthophis wellsei Hoser 1998 (invalid emendation; see Aplin & Donnellan 1998) |
Distribution:
Australia
(Western Australia).
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Acanthophis wellsi
© Rune Midtgaard
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