Taipans are snakes from Australia's nort and west regions. Typically retiring, they will defend themselves fierecely if cornered. Taipans are notorious for having the most potent venom of any land-living snake, although the quantity of venom they can deliver is less than that of many other similar sized elapids. Fortunately, antivenoms exist which are effective against taipan venom.
There are four species of taipan known to science, two of which are fairly well studied. In the table on the main page, the default listing is for a coastal taipan.
Species | Typical venom | Size | Range | Habitat | Notes | ||
Potency | Type | Typical | Maximum | ||||
Inland taipan, O. microlepidotus | extreme | neuro 10 hemo 10 algesic 3 | 700 g | 2 kg | Central east Australia | Desert | Most potent venom of any known land snake. Uses cracks in the ground for shelter. Color ranges from black to olive green to red brown to yellow speckled with black. Head is often black. |
Coastal taipan, O. scutellatus | medium | neuro 10 hemo 10 algesic 3 | 200 g | 4 kg | Coastal north Australia | Forest, woodland, plains, sugarcane fields. | Third most potent venom of any known land snake. Tan, olive, or reddish-brown colored. |