Naja

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2007)

For other uses, see Naja (disambiguation).

Naja

Indian cobra, Naja naja

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Elapidae
Genus:	Naja Laurenti, 1768

Naja is a genus of venomous elapid snakes. They are the most recognized, and most widespread group of snakes commonly known as cobras, though there are several other genera which also make use of that common name. The genus Naja consists of 22 generally accepted species, but has undergone several taxonomic revisions in recent years, so sources vary greatly. They range throughout Africa, the Middle-East, India, southeastern Asia, and Indonesia. Currently, 20 species are recognized.^[1]

1 Description
2 Species
3 Taxonomy
4 Venom
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Description

Naja species are long, relatively slender snakes. Most species are capable of attaining lengths of 6' or more. All have a characteristic ability to raise the front quarter of their body off the ground and flatten their necks to appear larger to a potential predator.

[edit] Species

Species^[1]	Authority^[1]	Subsp.*^[1]	Common name
N. annulifera	Peters, 1854	1	Snouted cobra
N. atra	Cantor, 1842	0	Chinese cobra
N. haje	(Linnaeus, 1758)	2	Egyptian cobra
N. kaouthia	Lesson, 1831	0	Monocled cobra
N. katiensis	Angel, 1922	0	Mali cobra
N. mandalayensis	Slowinski & Wüster, 2000	0	Mandalay spitting cobra
N. melanoleuca	Hallowell, 1857	0	Black and white cobra
N. mossambica	Peters, 1854	0	Mozambique spitting cobra
N. naja^T	(Linnaeus, 1758)	0	Indian cobra
N. nigricollis	Reinhardt, 1843	2	Black-necked spitting cobra
N. nivea	(Linnaeus, 1758)	0	Cape cobra
N. nubiae	Wüster & Broadly, 2003	0	Nubian spitting cobra
N. oxiana	(Eichwald, 1831)	0	Central Asian cobra
N. pallida	Boulenger, 1896	0	Red spitting cobra
N. philippinensis	Taylor, 1922	0	Philippine cobra
N. sagittifera	Wall, 1913	0	Andaman cobra
N. samarensis	Peters, 1861	0	Peters' cobra
N. siamensis	Laurenti, 1768	0	Indo-Chinese spitting cobra
N. sputatrix	F. Boie, 1827	0	Indonesian cobra
N. sumatrana	Müller, 1887	0	Golden spitting cobra

*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).
^T) Type species.^[2]

[edit] Taxonomy

Other species that may be encountered in the literature include:

Naja anchietae (Bocage, 1879). A.k.a. Anchieta's cobra. Regarded as a subspecies of N. haje by Mertens (1937) and of N. annulifera by Broadley (1995). Regarded as a full species by Broadley and Wüster (2004).^[3]
Naja ashei Broadley and Wüster, 2007. A.k.a. Ashe’s spitting cobra. This is a newly described species found in Africa.^[4]

[edit] Venom

All species in the genus Naja are capable of delivering a fatal bite in a human. Most species have strongly neurotoxic venom, which attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis, but many also have hemotoxic features which causes swelling, necrosis and has a significant anticoagulant effect.

Several Naja species, referred to as spitting cobras, have developed a specialized venom delivery mechanism, in which their front fangs, instead of releasing venom through the tips, as a hypodermic needle, have a rifled opening in the front surface, which allows the snake to propel the venom out of the mouth. While typically referred to as spitting, the action is more like squirting. The range and accuracy with which they can shoot their venom varies from species to species, but it is used primarily as a defense mechanism. Once sprayed onto a victim's skin, the venom acts as a severe irritant. If it is introduced to the eye, it can cause a severe burning sensation and temporary or even permanent blindness if not cleaned out immediately and thoroughly.