Description

Whitish to cream ground colouration interrupted by numerous narrow, irregular dark bands with red and black flecks in interspaces. Large, dark bars are present on the head and nape, with the nuchal bar varying in width between the two subspecies; B. f. fasciolatus has a broad nuchal bar, ranging from 7-15 scales in width, whereas B. f. fasciatus possesses a narrower bar, 3-6 scales in width.

Similar species

North-western shovel-nosed snake (Brachyurophis approximans) - has the nasal and preocular scales in contact (versus widely separated).
Australian coral snake (Brachyurophis australis) - has narrow bands of pale, dark-edged scales (versus black bands).
Southern shovel-nosed snake (Brachyurophis semifasciatus) - has the nasal and preocular scales in contact (versus widely separated).

Subspecies

Scale count information