STEPHEN'S BANDED SNAKE Hoplocephalus stephensii Krefft, 1869
The Stephen's Banded Snake is usually banded (as shown), although unbanded specimens are known to occur. The Author caught an unusually spotted specimen, without bands at Mt. Glorious, Qld. This species is found in forest habitats north of Gosford, NSW along the coast and near ranges to south east Queensland. Average length is 50 cm. Although not regarded as dangerous, this very aggressive snake should be handled with care.
The scalation is smooth with 21 mid body rows, 220-250 ventrals, single anal, and 50-70 single subcaudals.
This arboreal snake is usually found at night crossing roads where it occurs. By day specimens are found under loose tree bark and in hollow tree limbs. It feeds on small lizards, frogs, small mammals and young birds.
Mating is in autumn, winter and early spring with about six live young being produced in summer. The young measure 16 cm at birth.
The above was from the book Australian Reptiles and Frogs by Raymond Hoser and now available on a fantastic CD-Rom along with a vast amount of other information, papers and the like on reptiles, frogs and other wildlife.