de vis banded snake
de vis banded snake Lexical Profile
• noun
Australian A short, thick-bodied, moderately venomous snake (Denisonia devisi) native to the alluvial plains of Queensland and New South Wales in Australia, characterized by dark, ragged-edged cross-bands along a yellowish-brown or olive body.
"During our herpetological survey in New South Wales, we carefully recorded a sighting of a De Vis banded snake resting near a drying floodway."
Word Nuance & Usage
Commonly spelled with a possessive as 'De Vis\'s banded snake', this species is frequently mistaken for the highly dangerous death adder due to its similar thick-bodied appearance and defensive posturing.
Word Origin & Etymology
Named in honor of Charles Walter de Vis, a prominent 19th-century English-born Australian zoologist and herpetologist, combined with 'banded snake' describing the distinct ragged-edged cross-bands on its body.