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Classification of Venomous Snakes

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Brain & Nerve
Digestive Health
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Contributed byKrish Tangella MD, MBANov 01, 2023

Classification of venomous snakes and comprehensive information on snake bites, first aid, treatment, and prevention: (in alphabetical order)


Rattlesnakes are pit vipers that belong to the family Viperidae and genus Crotalus. These land-dwelling predators are found across North, Central, and South Americas. The rattlesnakes earn their name from the rattles at the tip of their tails that may be continuously vibrated to warn other predators.


  • Cryptophis nigrescens (Small Eyed Snake)
  • Daboia mauritanica (Moorish Viper)
  • Daboia palaestinae (Palestine Viper)
  • Daboia russelii (Russell's Viper)
  • Daboia siamensis (Eastern Russell's Viper)
  • Deinagkistrodon acutus (Chinese Sharp Nosed Pitviper)
  • Demansia olivacea (Olive Whip Snake)
  • Dendroaspis angusticeps (Eastern Green Mamba)
  • Dendroaspis jamesoni (Jameson's Mamba)
  • Dendroaspis polylepis (Black Mamba)
  • Dendroaspis viridis (Western Green Mamba)
  • Diadophis punctatus (Ringneck Snake)
  • Dispholidus typus (Boomslang)
  • Echis carinatus (Saw Scaled Viper)
  • Echis coloratus (Painted Saw Scaled Viper)
  • Echis ocellatus (West African Carpet Viper)
  • Echis pyramidum (Egyptian Saw Scaled Viper)
  • Elapsoidea sundevallii (Sundevall's African Garter Snake)
  • Emydocephalus annulatus (Annulated Turtle Headed Sea Snake) - generally non-aggressive and diurnal; true sea snake; North Australia and Western Pacific Ocean; inhabits shallow coral reef waters;
  • Furina tristis (Brown Headed Snake)
  • Gloydius blomhoffii (Mamushi)
  • Gloydius brevicaudus (Short-Tailed Mamushi)
  • Gloydius halys (Siberian Pitviper)
  • Gloydius intermedius (Intermediate Mamushi)
  • Gloydius shedaoensis (Shedao Island Pitviper)
  • Gloydius ussuriensis (Ussuri Mamushi)
  • Hemachatus haemachatus (Rinkhals)
  • Homalopsis buccata (Linne's Water Snake)
  • Hoplocephalus stephensii (Stephen's Banded Snake)
  • Hydrodynastes gigas (False Water Cobra)


Sea snakes belonging to the family Elapidae and subfamily Hydrophiinae are considered “truly aquatic”. These snakes are completely adapted to marine life and show minimal terrestrial association and limited land movement

  • Hydrophis annandalei (Bighead Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Southeastern Asia; inhabits shallow seas and sandy sea bottoms;
  • Hydrophis atriceps (Black-Headed Sea Snake) - not easily provoked; true sea snake; Southeastern Asia and North Australia; inhabits shallow sea waters and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis belcheri (Belcher's Sea Snake) - highly venomous and non-aggressive; true sea snake; South China Sea to Western Pacific Ocean; inhabits shallow sea waters and coral reefs;
  • Hydrophis brookii (Brook's Sea Snake) - may be confused with the highly venomous viperine sea snake; true sea snake; west of Indian Ocean, Southeastern Asia, South China Sea, and north of Australia.; inhabits shallow sea waters and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis caerulescens (Dwarf Sea Snake) - typically non-aggressive; true sea snake; Indian subcontinent, Southeastern Asia, and north of Australia; inhabits shallow sea waters and bottoms, muddy river mouths, inland wetlands, and mangrove swamps;
  • Hydrophis cantoris (Cantor's Narrow-Headed Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Indian subcontinent and Indo-Malayan Realm; inhabits shallow sea waters and sandy sea bottoms;
  • Hydrophis coggeri (Slender-Necked Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Philippines, Coral Sea islands, and north of Australia.; inhabits muddy sea bottoms, coral beds, and mangrove swamps;
  • Hydrophis curtus (Short Sea Snake) - highly venomous and aggressive; true sea snake; Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and Western Pacific Ocean; inhabits shallow sea waters, inland wetlands, and coral reefs;
  • Hydrophis cyanocinctus (Annulated Sea Snake) - highly venomous and easily provoked; true sea snake; Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and Western Pacific Ocean; inhabits coastal shallow waters and river mouths;
  • Hydrophis czeblukovi (Fine-Spined Sea Snake) - true sea snake; north coastlines of Australia; found in deep marine waters;
  • Hydrophis donaldi (Donald's Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia; inhabits river mouths, coastal waters, and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis elegans (Elegant Sea Snake) - highly venomous; largest of the true sea snakes; north of Australia up to Timor Sea; inhabits shallow seas, inland wetlands, and estuaries;
  • Hydrophis fasciatus (Striped Sea Snake) - generally docile; true sea snake; Southeastern Asia and seas north of Australia; inhabits shallow sea waters and sandy/rocky sea bottoms;
  • Hydrophis gracilis (Slender Sea Snake) - highly venomous and not easily provoked; true sea snake; Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea; inhabits shallow sea waters and sand beds;
  • Hydrophis hardwickii (Spine-Bellied Sea Snake) - very aggressive; true sea snake; around Indian coastline, Southeastern Asia, north of Australia, and western Pacific Ocean; inhabits shallow sea waters, inland wetlands, estuaries, and coral reefs;
  • Hydrophis inornatus (Plain Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Southeastern Asia and north of Australia; inhabits shallow sea waters and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis jerdonii (Cone Nosed Sea Snake) - highly venomous; true sea snake; east of Indian Ocean up to South China Sea; inhabits shallow sea waters and wetlands;
  • Hydrophis kingii (Spectacled Sea Snake) - true sea snake; north and east of Australia; inhabits marine waters, coral reefs, and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis klossi (Selangor Sea Snake) - highly venomous and generally docile; true sea snake; Indian Ocean around Southeast Asia; inhabits shallow sea waters and wetlands
  • Hydrophis lapemoides (Persian Gulf Sea Snake) - generally docile; true sea snake; Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and Southeastern Asia; inhabits shallow sea waters, muddy bottoms, and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis macdowelli (Small-Headed Sea Snake) - true sea snake; north Australia coastal waters; inhabits coral reefs, shallow estuarine/coastal waters, and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis major (Olive Headed Sea Snake) - highly venomous and easily provoked; true sea snake; around Australia and parts of western Pacific Ocean; inhabits seashores, river mouths, and coral reef islands;
  • Hydrophis mamillaris (Bombay Gulf Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Indian subcontinent; inhabits shallow sea waters and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis melanocephalus (Black Headed Slender Necked Sea Snake) - highly venomous and typically non-aggressive; true sea snake; South China Sea and parts of Pacific Ocean; inhabits seashores, river mouths, and coral reefs;
  • Hydrophis melanosoma (Black Banded Robust Sea Snake) - highly venomous and generally non-aggressive; true sea snake; Malaysia and Indonesia coastlines; inhabits shallow sea waters and ocean-river sandbanks;
  • Hydrophis nigrocinctus (Black Banded Sea Snake) - highly venomous; true sea snake; Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeastern Asia; inhabits shallow seas and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis ornatus (Ornate Reef Sea Snake) - highly venomous and aggressive; true sea snake; Indian Ocean, Southeastern Asia, Australia, up to western Pacific Ocean; inhabits shallow sea waters and muddy waters of inland wetlands and estuaries;
  • Hydrophis pacificus (Pacific Sea Snake) - true sea snake; north of Australia and south of New Guinea/Papua New Guinea.; inhabits shallow sea waters and sea bottoms;
  • Hydrophis peronii (Horned Sea Snake) - highly venomous and typically non-aggressive; true sea snake; north Australian coastlines; inhabits shallow sea waters and sandy sea beds;
  • Hydrophis platurus (Yellowbelly Sea Snake) - highly venomous and irritable; true sea snake; extensively distributed between Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean; inhabits seashores, lagoons, river mouths, and coral reefs;
  • Hydrophis schistosus (Beaked Sea Snake) - highly venomous and easily provoked; responsible for more than 50% of all sea snake bites around the world; true sea snake; Indian Ocean; inhabits coastal waters and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis spiralis (Narrow Banded Sea Snake) - highly venomous and easily provoked; true sea snake; Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Southeastern Asia, including South China Sea; inhabits shallow sea waters, sandy grass beds, and coral reefs;
  • Hydrophis stokesii (Large Headed Sea Snake) - highly venomous and aggressive; true sea snake; large and heavy; Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Southeastern Asia, and Australia; inhabits shallow sea muddy waters and coral reefs;
  • Hydrophis stricticollis (Bengal Sea Snake) - highly venomous; true sea snake; Indian subcontinent; inhabits coastal shallow waters and wetlands;
  • Hydrophis torquatus (West Coast Black-Headed Sea Snake) - true sea snake; some species are adapted to freshwater; Indonesian Sea, Straits of Malacca, and Gulf of Thailand; inhabits shallow sea waters and inland wetlands;
  • Hydrophis viperinus (Viperine Sea Snake) - highly venomous and easily irritable; true sea snake; Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea; found along seashores, lagoons, and narrow creeks;
  • Hydrophis vorisi (Estuarine Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Torres Strait, north of Australia; inhabits shallow sea waters, marine wetlands, and estuaries;
  • Hydrophis zweifeli (Zweifel's Beaked Sea Snake) - highly venomous and easily provoked; true sea snake; Papua New Guinea and Australia; inhabits shallow sea beds, estuaries, and river mouths;


  • Hypnale hypnale (Hump Nosed Pitviper)
  • Hypsiglena jani (San Luis Potosi Night Snake)
  • Hypsiglena torquata (Night Snake)
  • Lachesis melanocephala (Black Headed Bushmaster)
  • Lachesis muta (Atlantic Bushmaster)
  • Laticauda colubrina (Common Yellow Lipped Sea Krait) - highly venomous and generally docile; semi-aquatic snake; from eastern Indian Ocean to western Pacific Ocean; found along seashores and coastlines;
  • Laticauda laticaudata (Blue Lipped Sea Krait) - highly venomous and very docile; semi-aquatic snake; from eastern Indian Ocean to western Pacific Ocean; found along seashores and coastlines;
  • Laticauda semifasciata (Black Banded Sea Krait) - highly venomous and very docile; semi-aquatic snake; from China Sea to western Pacific Ocean; found along seashores and coastlines; harvested for its meat and skin;
  • Leptodeira ashmeadii
  • Macrovipera lebetinus (Levantine Viper)
  • Macrovipera schweizeri (Milos Viper)
  • Malpolon monspessulanus (Montpellier Snake)
  • Metlapilcoatlus mexicanus (Mexican Jumping Pitviper)
  • Metlapilcoatlus nummifer (Central American Jumping Pitviper)


Coral snakes (genus Micrurus) form a large group of elegant and ‘mostly’ brightly-colored and banded venomous reptiles belonging to the Elapidae family, which are generally slender and swift-moving snakes.


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