Nature & Conservation

Common purple-glossed snake – Amblyodipsas polylepis

This bulky, slow-moving snake is a fossorial species, spending most of its time underground, beneath logs and rocks or in thick leaf-litter. In warm, moist conditions following decent rains, these snakes may be commonly seen moving on the surface. They are often found moving at night in these conditions or early mornings on overcast days.

They feed on a variety of prey items from skinks to other snakes but are partial to the large giant legless skinks (Acontias plumbeus) which are also seen moving on the surface after rains. There are many great videos from the Kruger of this snake and these large skinks in a writhing battle, both animals biting one another and twisting until the snakes’ venom takes effect and the skink succumbs.

Purple-glossed snakes are considered mildly venomous to humans, likely causing some mild swelling and pain. Medical attention is not required for bites from this snake and bites are rare. It is an inoffensive snake, and if encountered, it may move erratically or hide the head beneath coils of the body, often lifting the tail into the air and waving it about to distract predators or threats from the head.

Being a black, glossy snake, it is easily confused with the venomous stiletto snake. The purple-glossed snake usually has a stubby tail and a more robust build. The head also has large plated scales which can easily be distinguished from a stiletto snake. The purple-glossed snake averages around 40 – 60cm in length but may exceed one meter.

The common purple-glossed snake lays up to seven elongated eggs in early summer. When the eggs hatch, the juveniles are replicas of the adults. The young snakes are quick to musk if handled or harassed, emitting a foul-smelling liquid to deter threats.

These little snakes are not commonly encountered and sometimes tricky to identify, often confused with a variety of other small dark snakes in the area. They are not dangerous to humans and best left alone.

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Luke Kemp

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