ABSTRACT
The Australian snakes and their cousins in New Guinea have evolved some of the most potent venoms and venom components of any snakes in the world and Australia is often characterized as home to the world's most dangerous snakes, particularly by Australians, many of whom are very aware of the hazards presented by this portion of their country's fauna. Three families of venomous snakes are found in Australia and New Guinea: Colubridae, a few backfanged species only, none of which appear to cause significant envenoming in man; Hydrophiidae, the sea snakes; Elapidae, the front fanged terrestrial snakes which dominate the Australian snake fauna, both in terms of numbers, and species. Several works are published on the biology, taxonomy and distribution of the venomous snakes of Australia and New Guinea. Venom detection has assumed an increasing role in the management of Australian snakebite, but its role in New Guinea is less certain.
