Inland taipan taipan's long pointed tail. The specific name, "microlepidotus", means "small-scaled" (Latin). Hence the common name, small-scaled snake. Since it has been determined (Covacevich et al., 1981) that the fierce snake (formerly: "Parademansia microlepidota") is actually part of the genus "Oxyuranus" (taipan), another species, "Oxyuranus scutellatus", which was previously commonly named taipan (coined from the aboriginal snake's name "Dhayban") became coastal taipan (or eastern taipan), and the now newly classified "Oxyuranus microlepidotus", became commonly known as inland taipan (or western taipan). The word "fierce" from its alternative name, fierce snake, describes its powerful venom. The inland taipan inhabits the black soil
Inland taipan Cook University, the majority of components in the venom have not been characterized and little molecular research has been undertaken on taipan ("Oxyuranus") species at large. As of 2005, the amino acid sequences of only seven proteins from inland taipan have been submitted to SWISS-PROT databases. The mortality rate is high in untreated cases: Clinically, envenomation may represent a complex scenario of multiple organ system poisoning with neurotoxic symptoms typically dominating. Acute renal failure, rhabdomyolysis, and disseminated coagulopathy may also complicate the setting. The first local and general symptoms of a bite are local pain and variable non-specific effects which