# Mulga Snake vs King Brown Snake



## mrblack66 (May 30, 2011)

Some would say I'm pedantic. I say I'm fastidious... What gets my goat is that so many people, including users of this fantastic site, are still, to this day referring to Mulga Snakes as "King Browns"...
I thought the general concensus about ten years ago was to remove the name King Brown from use as it is not a Brown (Pseudonaja), it is the biggest member of the black snake family (Pseudechis). This is probably sounding like an old broken record, but it is something that really gives me the irrits.
So, please people, join with me and lets get this name thing sorted for the benefit of the general public, like we did 50 years ago for the Green Tree Snakes abolishing the use of the name Yellow Bellied Black Snake....
Got any ideas for an advertising campaign that can set Australia right?


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (May 30, 2011)

Common names are there to confuse us, save the confusion if it worries you, and just use the scientific names.
thats not confusing at all...
Anyway
Some ppl say tomato some say tomuto.
thats what mkes the something go something.
Pedantic is a good word to


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## mysnakesau (May 30, 2011)

Same as the inland taipan still gets called a fierce snake. So long as I know what they are referring to it doesn't matter to me.


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## Waterrat (May 30, 2011)

Who cares about common names? By the way, Green Tree Snake is now (correctly) called "Common Tree Snake"


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## saximus (May 30, 2011)

I'm not sure how much this would really affect the general public. I think instead of worrying whether people use "correct" names we should be aiming to stop them all being called "itsasnakekillit!" regardless of the species


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## $NaKe PiMp (May 30, 2011)

kingbrown sounds sort of cool though compared to mulga snake lol

its the same with calling green pythons "chondros"

i would also like the term red bellied black snake returned to an earlier description of "the crimson sided snake" dont like my chances though lol

The name yellow bellied black snake gets thrown around as a description for a number of different species popularized by midnight oils song "king of the mountain" 

Even taxonomic names are not agreed on where an animal is classified in what genus/species/subspecies


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## dihsmaj (May 30, 2011)

I call them King Browns because when I say Mulga I feel like I'm saying 'vulgar'.


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## Armand (May 30, 2011)

I guess the description of "KING BROWN" just fascinates people and I highly doubt that the common name will ever be changed. In fact, i reckon Mulga snake has more chance of being removed and it just being King Brown. 

IMO- I dont really care what people say, as long as i have dont my research and know what they are referring to, all people have different views upon common names, if you remove one name, many people are going to be happy, yet many people wont. Its a decision that I thnk will be long left idling.


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## Elapidae1 (May 30, 2011)

aren't King browns poisonous enuf to make the top 10 deadliest list


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## saximus (May 30, 2011)

steve1 said:


> aren't King browns poisonous enuf to make the top 10 deadliest list


 Hahaha


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## blakehose (May 30, 2011)

steve1 said:


> aren't King browns poisonous enuf to make the top 10 deadliest list


 
hahaha...Love it.
But really mate, I don't see why it irritates you so much. It's very easy to overlook it whenever you see Australis referred to as a 'King Brown'. There are plenty more important issues in the world that deserve more time and effort than this one.


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## JordanG (May 30, 2011)

@ saximus 
hey the bloke was just asking a question dont be such an a** about it!!!


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## $NaKe PiMp (May 30, 2011)

well there neurotoxicity is much weaker than some of the other large elapids,but the venom volume is MASSIVE and its full of all sorts of nasties that mess you up on so many levels,
Take a hit from a ig king brown and you will know about it LOL


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## blakehose (May 30, 2011)

pythonlover123 said:


> @ saximus
> hey the bloke was just asking a question dont be such an a** about it!!!


Saximus and I are just kidding. 'steve1' is not being serious, that is why it's funny.


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## JordanG (May 30, 2011)

oh ok i thought he was being serious sorry for misunderstanding


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## saximus (May 30, 2011)

Haha thanks for defending me Blake. Yeah PL there's a bit of history behind that joke. Let's just hope our American mate doesn't stumble across this thread


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## JordanG (May 30, 2011)

sorry saximus for saying wat i said. now i feellike an a** lol


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## saximus (May 30, 2011)

Haha no problem. Easy enough mistake to make if you're not an APS addict like some of us :/


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## Sezzzzzzzzz (May 30, 2011)

I was just thinking before that the american, whatever his name is, would love this...


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## saximus (May 30, 2011)

If we don't mention his name maybe he won't appear. Kinda like Beetlejuice


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## Sezzzzzzzzz (May 30, 2011)

or voldemort!!


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## Red-Ink (May 30, 2011)

*stare at comp screen by candle light*

Bloody mma

Bloody mma

Bloody ....:shock:


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## saximus (May 30, 2011)

lol Red you're a funny guy


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## Nodrog (May 31, 2011)

He has not had his day release yet so there is no need to worry yet!!!!


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## jack (May 31, 2011)

i call them king browns... actually usually just kingies. 
a more accurate description than mulga snake- they don't look anything like a scrubby acacia


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## JasonL (May 31, 2011)

$NaKe PiMp said:


> The name yellow bellied black snake gets thrown around as a description for a number of different species popularized by midnight oils song "king of the mountain"


 
Yes, but that was referring to the aboriginal flag, yellow bellied black snake sleeping on a red rock.....waiting for the strangers to go.

Mulga snakes till they get over eight feet.... then they are king browns


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## mysnakesau (May 31, 2011)

Apparently we have yellow bellied black snakes around our area. I tried to suggest at a FAWNA meeting once that it was probably a common tree snake but the person yelled at me, "I know what tree snakes look like, and this wasn't one of them." So I shut up and let her ramble. I have rescued a few tree snakes that are near black.


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## dihsmaj (May 31, 2011)

$NaKe PiMp said:


> i would also like the term red bellied black snake returned to an earlier description of "the crimson sided snake" dont like my chances though lol
> 
> The name yellow bellied black snake gets thrown around as a description for a number of different species popularized by midnight oils song "king of the mountain"


Crimson Sided Snake sounds so much better
By the way, guys really I once saw a Yellow Belly Black Snake.
It almost got me but luckily I stood on its head.


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## Cockney_Red (May 31, 2011)

JasonL said:


> Yes, but that was referring to the aboriginal flag, yellow bellied black snake sleeping on a red rock.....waiting for the strangers to go.
> 
> Mulga snakes till they get over eight feet.... then they are king browns


 
Thats debatable.....


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## MR_IAN_DAVO (May 31, 2011)

Obviously Sax not too many care, & I don't much either. you won't change what people call them & they will allways be refered to by many as King Browns because that sounds bigger & more dangerous. If you ask most people they have never heard of a Mulga snake, what is it? is it piosonous?

Cheers


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## Snake_Whisperer (May 31, 2011)

ssssnakeman said:


> Common names are there to confuse us, save the confusion if it worries you, and just use the scientific names.
> thats not confusing at all...
> Anyway
> Some ppl say tomato some say tomuto.
> ...



Yep, _Pseudechis australis_. Problem solvered!


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## grizz (May 31, 2011)

King brown makes me wanna drink beers!


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## damian83 (May 31, 2011)

saximus said:


> I'm not sure how much this would really affect the general public. I think instead of worrying whether people use "correct" names we should be aiming to stop them all being called "itsasnakekillit!" regardless of the species


agreed, something like school based animal / reptile lessons with wild life catcher / carer


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## cleobhp (Jun 1, 2011)

I have had people tell me they have seen king browns in their back yard down the gold coast, lol also where I work in Brisbane we have wetlands out the back and people have said there's king browns in there. When I try to explain that they are not found around this area they are adamant they are king browns. I just shake my head and say well you know better don't you.


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## snakeluvver (Jun 1, 2011)

I think it doesnt matter. Sure they're not in the _Pseudonaja_ genus, but they're still brown 

And I've had the same experience, cleobhp, people say king brown to make it sound scarier. Ironically, king browns arent as dangerous as browns


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## Mudimans (Jun 1, 2011)

ahhhh you know they're not all brown don't you? Go to St George and you'll see some nice red and orange ones 


snakeluvver said:


> I think it doesnt matter. Sure they're not in the _Pseudonaja_ genus, but they're still brown
> 
> And I've had the same experience, cleobhp, people say king brown to make it sound scarier. Ironically, king browns arent as dangerous as browns


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## saximus (Jun 1, 2011)

There was a gorgeous, almost fluro orange one at the Hawkesbury expo


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## mysnakesau (Jun 1, 2011)

snakeluvver said:


> I think it doesnt matter. Sure they're not in the _Pseudonaja_ genus, but they're still brown
> 
> And I've had the same experience, cleobhp, people say king brown to make it sound scarier. Ironically, king browns arent as dangerous as browns



Yeah we get kingies down here too, according the general public. And how many 12ft python call outs have I had to find them much smaller than I was told, and red-bellied blue tongues are another popular reptile found in our area. Ppl just see a tail and cry SNAKE!!! They feel stupid when I pull out a lizard but I tell them they did the right thing. You don't go poking at reptiles when you can't see their whole body. I even went to the local boral site looking for a 6ft brown snake. No hope of finding him. Almost back to my car and a guy whistles out that he found it. He saw a tail sticking out of a crack in the brickwork. My first thoughts were, this isn't 6ft, and it wasn't even 1ft. It was a harmless worm. His mates gave him hell after that but in their dust pit where the light is dull anyway, you don't take chances. Rescuers act on descriptions we've been given and we don't think anything else, at least until afterwards.


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## moosenoose (Jun 1, 2011)

I call them King Mulgas


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## Mudimans (Jun 1, 2011)

I call them "Your Majesties" pay them proper respect and they won't bite you lol


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## Nodrog (Jun 2, 2011)

should jst call them damn big bitey snakes!!!!


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## eipper (Jun 2, 2011)

... Big Nt jobs are usually called bloody gorgeous...or words similar.......Kingies, dopey buggars and mulgas when talking to other herps....the general public " Mulga or King Brown Snake"


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## MR_IAN_DAVO (Jun 2, 2011)

Just tell them NO, you saw a black snake.

People see black snakes here all the time in CQ.


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## SnakeyTroy (Jun 3, 2011)

I often find myself explaining to people the diference between a King Brown (Mulga) and the Eastern Brown Snake. 
Living in Western Sydney I have had a few people tell me that they have seen King Browns in their back yards or other various places and I always find myself telling them, no, you saw an Eastern Brown! Then I have to go through the rigmaroll of explaining that The King Brown is Pseudechis while the Eastern Brown is Pseudonaja and so the King Brown is actually just a Brown coloured Black snake and you will never find a Wild King Brown in Sydney unless some poor herpetologist has had his Mulga escape which would be most unfortunate.


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## mrblack66 (Jan 31, 2012)

dihsmaj said:


> I call them King Browns because when I say Mulga I feel like I'm saying 'vulgar'.



You need to say it with more of an Aussie twang....


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## Wild~Touch (Jan 31, 2012)

Yellow bellied black snakes are well recognised in my area....

the locals all know how the green tree snakes "crosses" with the browns

can't even bother to try explain - "not possible"


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## mrblack66 (Jan 31, 2012)

you have those locals too?!? seems plenty about.....


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## tankslapt (Jan 31, 2012)

I found a 'king brown' in my toilet after I sat on it for a while this morning!
While we're at it, 'pseudonaja' pretty much means fake cobra. Maybe it's me staring at a half empty cup but even if I translated it to 'like a cobra' it's still pretty darn lame.


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## Snake_Whisperer (Jan 31, 2012)

Wild~Touch said:


> Yellow bellied black snakes are well recognised in my area....
> 
> the locals all know how the green tree snakes "crosses" with the browns
> 
> can't even bother to try explain - "not possible"



Bwahaha! I ended up in a somewhat heated debate over "yellow-bellied blacks". Apparently they truly do exist!


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## saximus (Jan 31, 2012)

Has anyone noticed that the picture for January in the APS calendar is actually labelled "King Brown"?


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