Maxillary bones extending forwards as far as the palatines, with a pair of large grooved poison-fangs, followed by two or three small teeth; anterior mandibular teeth elongate, fang-like. Head distinct from the neck; eyes small, with vertically elliptic pupils; nostril in the upper part of a single nasal shield. Body stout, cylindrical. Scales more or less distinctly keeled, in 21-23 rows. Tail short, compressed at the end and terminating in a sort of long spine, turned upwards; anterior subcaudals in a single row, posterior in 2 rows.
Fig. 60.—Skull of Acanthophis antarcticus. (After G. A. Boulenger, op. cit.)
A. antarcticus (The Death Adder; [fig. 61]).—Supraocular shields often raised and angular, assuming the shape of little horns; scales on the crown of the head rugose and striated; 113-130 ventrals; 41-51 subcaudals (the last 5-27 are divided).
Colour yellow-brown or reddish, with more or less distinct dark cross-bands; black spots or small dark bars on the lips; belly yellowish-white; end of tail yellow or black, covered with spiny scales.
Fig. 61.—Acanthophis antarcticus (The Death Adder).
Total length, 850 millimetres; tail 150.
Habitat: Moluccas, New Guinea, Australia.