“These snakes are all small, usually under 80cm (although Natal black snakes and common purple-glossed snakes may grow to nearly 1.2m in length) usually with quite indistinct head shapes and small black eyes in most species. Many of these snakes may also attempt to hide their head under body coils and move in erratic or twitchy movements,” the ASI said. They are all dark brown or black in colour, but Bibron’s stiletto snake, common wolf snakes and black file snakes may also be found with a distinct white belly, which extends slightly up the sides of the body, making these three difficult to tell apart.

“There are six snakes in this group that often seem to confuse people. The institute said that although there are a large number of small black snakes such as young olive snakes ( Lycodonomorphus inornatus), juvenile black spitting cobras ( Naja nigricincta woodi) and many of the garter snakes ( Elapsoidea spp.), it focused on the smaller species that typically live underground or come out at night, and which have a similar body profile. The scales on the head differ between the six species.

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