Vermicella


Vermicella is a genus of venomous snakes of the family Elapidae, commonly known as bandy-bandies or hoop snakes. The best known species is the bandy-bandy.

Species

Six species are recognized as being valid. In mid 2018 a new species of bandy-bandy was discovered in Australia, visually nearly identical to Vermicella annulata. The species named Vermicella parscauda is considerably more venomous, with a toxin that is comparable to that of the red-bellied black snake.
  1. One species of Vermicella is the Bandy-Bandy commonly found in Australia. This snake is highly venomous and relatively small, sizing between 50 and 100 cm. Bandy-Bandies use their banded black and white pattern to repel predators by moving rapidly, causing a flicker visual illusion.
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Vermicella.