Cobra
Encyclopedia
Venomous snake
"Poisonous snake" redirects here. For true poisonous snakes, see Rhabdophis.Venomous snakes are snakes which have venom glands and specialized teeth for the injection of venom...
belonging to the family Elapidae
Elapidae
Elapidae is a family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, terrestrially in Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America and aquatically in the Pacific and Indian Oceans...
. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, or even of the same family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake". When disturbed, most of these snakes can rear up and spread their neck (or hood) in a characteristic threat display.
Cobra may refer to:
Naja
Naja
Naja is a genus of venomous elapid snakes. Although there are several other genera that share the common name, Naja are the most recognized and most widespread group of snakes commonly known as cobras. The genus Naja consists of 20 to 22 species, but has undergone several taxonomic revisions in...
, also known as typical cobras (with the characteristic ability to raise the front quarters of their bodies off the ground and flatten their necks in a threatening gesture), a group of venomous elapids
Elapidae
Elapidae is a family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, terrestrially in Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America and aquatically in the Pacific and Indian Oceans...
found in Africa and Asia
- spitting cobras, a subset of Naja species with the ability to eject venom from its fangs in self-defense
- any member of the genus BoulengerinaBoulengerinaBoulengerina is a genus of elapid snakes known commonly as water cobras, so named because of their semi-aquatic nature. The genus has two recognized species, which are found in central and southern Africa...
, a.k.a. water cobras, a group of venomous elapids found in Africa - any member of the genus AspidelapsAspidelapsAspidelaps is a genus of venomous elapid snakes found in Africa. They are commonly called shield-nosed cobras or coral cobras after their cobra-hoods and enlarged rostral scales. However, the hood is not nearly as well developed in Aspidelaps as it is in Naja.- Species :...
, a.k.a. shield-nose cobras or coral snakes, a group of venomous elapids found in Africa - any member of the genus PseudohajePseudohajePseudohaje is a genus of African elapid snakes, commonly called tree cobras or forest cobras because of their arboreal lifestyle.-Characteristics:...
, a.k.a. tree cobras, a group of venomous elapids found in Africa - Paranaja multifasciataParanaja multifasciataParanaja multifasciata is a species of venomous elapid snake commonly known as the Many-banded Snake or Burrowing Cobra, the only species within the genus Paranaja. The species is found in the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon in Africa...
, a.k.a. the burrowing cobra, a venomous elapid species found in Africa - Ophiophagus hannahKing CobraThe king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
, a.k.a. the king cobra, a venomous elapid species found in India and southern Asia - Hemachatus haemachatusRinkhalsThe Rinkhals also called the Ringhals or Ring-necked Spitting Cobra is a venomous elapid species found in parts of southern Africa...
, a.k.a. the ringhals or ring-necked spitting cobra, a venomous elapid species found in Africa - Micrurus fulviusMicrurus fulviusMicrurus fulvius is a venomous elapid snake that is found in the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico. It should not be confused with the scarlet snake or scarlet kingsnake , which are harmless mimics...
, a.k.a. the American cobra or eastern coral snake, a venomous elapid species found in the southeastern United States - Hydrodynastes gigas, a.k.a. the false water cobra, a mildly venomous colubridColubridA colubrid is a member of the snake family Colubridae. This broad classification of snakes includes about two-thirds of all snake species on earth. The earliest species of the snake family date back to the Oligocene epoch. With 304 genera and 1,938 species, Colubridae is the largest snake family...
species found in South America - a taxonomic synonym for the genus BitisBitisBitis is a genus of venomous vipers found in Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. It includes the largest and the smallest vipers in the world. Members are known for their characteristic threat displays that involves inflating and deflating their bodies while hissing and puffing loudly. The...
, a.k.a. puff adders, a group of venomous vipersViperidaeThe Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Antarctica, Australia, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii, various other isolated islands, and above the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Four...
found in Africa and in the south of the Arabian Peninsula