![]() The largest known king cobra was 5.59 m (18 ft 4 in) long and captured in Thailand. Females captured had a maximum length of 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in) and a weight of 5 kg (11 lb). Males captured in Kerala measured up to 3.75 m (12.3 ft) and weighed up to 10 kg (22 lb). The king cobra is sexually dimorphic, with males being larger and paler in particular during the breeding season. Dorsal scales are placed in an oblique arrangement. Ventral scales are uniformly oval shaped. The longest known individual measured 5.85 m (19.2 ft). ![]() Juveniles are black with chevron shaped white, yellow or buff bars that point towards the head. ![]() It has a pair of large occipital scales on top of the head, 17 to 19 rows of smooth oblique scales on the neck, and 15 rows on the body. Its cylindrical tail is yellowish green above and marked with black. Its hood is oval shaped and covered with olive green smooth scales and two black spots between the two lowest scales. The large eyes have a golden iris and round pupils. It has two fangs and 3–5 maxillar teeth in the upper jaw, and two rows of teeth in the lower jaw. The muzzle is rounded, and the tongue black. The head is covered by 15 drab coloured and black edged shields. The king cobra's skin is olive green with black and white bands on the trunk that converge to the head. DescriptionĪ baby king cobra showing its chevron pattern on the back Ī phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA showed that specimens from Surattani and Nakhon Si Thammarat Provinces in southern Thailand form a deeply divergent clade from those from northern Thailand, which grouped with specimens from Myanmar and Guangdong in southern China. Ī genetic analysis using cytochrome b, and a multigene analysis showed that the king cobra was an early offshoot of a genetic lineage giving rise to the mambas, rather than the Naja cobras. ![]() Ophiophagus hannah was accepted as the valid name for the king cobra by Charles Mitchill Bogert in 1945 who argued that it differs significantly from Naja species. Naja ingens proposed by Alexander Willem Michiel van Hasselt in 1882 was a king cobra captured near Tebing Tinggi in northern Sumatra. The name is derived from its propensity to eat snakes. The genus Ophiophagus was proposed by Günther in 1864. Hamadryas elaps proposed by Albert Günther in 1858 were king cobra specimens from the Philippines and Borneo. Naia vittata proposed by Walter Elliot in 1840 was a king cobra caught offshore near Chennai that was floating in a basket. In 1838, Cantor proposed the name Hamadryas ophiophagus for the king cobra and explained that it has dental features intermediate between the genera Naja and Bungarus. Naja bungarus was proposed by Hermann Schlegel in 1837 who described a king cobra zoological specimen from Java. Hamadryas hannah was the scientific name used by Danish naturalist Theodore Edward Cantor in 1836 who described four king cobra specimens, three captured in the Sundarbans and one in the vicinity of Kolkata. The king cobra is also referred to by the common name " hamadryad", especially in older literature. Regarded as the national reptile of India, it has an eminent position in the mythology and folk traditions of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Threatened by habitat destruction, it has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2010. Bites from this species are medically significant which may result in a rapid fatality unless antivenom is administrated in time. Despite its fearsome reputation, altercations usually only arise from an individual inadvertently exposing itself or being chased if, however, provoked or cornered, it is capable of striking long in range and high in position. The threat display of this elapid includes spreading its neck-flap, raising its head upright, making eye contact, puffing, hissing and occasionally charging. ![]() A female king cobra builds a nest to hold its eggs which will be protected throughout the incubation period. The king cobra inhabits forests from South to Southeastern Asia where it preys chiefly on other snakes, including those of its kind. The sole member of the genus Ophiophagus, it is not taxonomically a true cobra, despite its common name and some resemblance. Colouration of this species varies across habitats, from black with white stripes to unbroken brownish grey. With an average length of 3.18 to 4 m (10.4 to 13.1 ft) and a maximum record of 5.85 m (19.2 ft), it is the world's longest venomous snake. The king cobra ( Ophiophagus hannah) is a venomous snake endemic to Asia.
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