Forest Cobra

The forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca), also commonly called the black cobra and the black and white-lipped cobra, is a species of

highly venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Africa, mostly the central and western parts of the continent. It is the largest true cobra species with a record length of 3.2 metres (10 feet 6 inches).

Although it prefers lowland forest and moist savanna habitats, this cobra is highly adaptable and can be found in drier climates within its geographical range. It is a very capable swimmer and is often considered to be semi-aquatic. The forest cobra is a generalist in its feeding habits, having a highly varied diet: anything from large insects to small mammals and other reptiles. This species is alert, nervous and is considered to be a medically significant snake. When cornered or molested, it will assume the typical cobra warning posture by raising its fore body off the ground, spreading a narrow hood, and hissing loudly. Bites to humans are less common than from other African cobras due to various factors, though a bite from this species is a life-threatening emergency.

Taxonomy and evolution

The forest cobra is classified in the genus Naja of the family Elapidae. Naja melanoleuca was first described by American herpetologist Edward Hallowell in 1857. The generic name Naja is a Latinisation of the Sanskrit word nāgá (नाग) meaning "cobra". The specific epithet melanoleuca is Ancient Greek and means "of black and white". The word melano is Greek for "black", while leuca comes from the Ancient Greek word for "white". This species is also known as the black cobra and black and white-lipped cobra.

The genus Naja was first described by Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in 1768. The species of Naja melanoleuca was first described by Edward Hallowell in 1857. The genus Naja was split into several subgenera based on various factors, including morphology, diet, and habitat. Naja melanoleuca is part of the subgenus Boulengerina, along with three other species: Naja annulata, Naja christyi, and Naja multifasciata. The subgenus is united by their restriction to central and west African forest and/or forest-edge type habitat. They are also more aquatic, preying more on aquatic animals, as well. The species within the subgenus Boulengerina show great diversity in size; from the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca), which can attain lengths of nearly 2.7 metres (8.9 feet), to the burrowing cobra (Naja multifasciata), which usually doesn't grow larger than 0.8 metres (2.6 feet) in length.

The cladogram below illustrates the taxonomy and relationships among species of Naja: