Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update:
October 9th, 2024.
 
|
Genus
Naja
 |
Typical Cobras
|
 |
Echte Kobras, Hutschlangen, (Wasserkobras [syn. Boulengerina])
|
 |
Egentlige Kobraer
|
|
1768 |  |
Naja Laurenti (type species: Naja lutescens Laurenti 1768) |
|
1830 | |
Aspis Wagler (type species: Coluber naja Linnaeus 1758) |
|
1830 | |
Uraeus Wagler (type species: Coluber haje Linnaeus 1758) |
|
1831 | |
Tomyris Eichwald (type species: Tomyris oxiana Eichwald 1831) |
|
1885 | |
Boulengerina Dollo (type species: Boulengerina stormsi Dollo 1886; syn. Wüster, Crookes, Ineich & Mane 2007) |
|
1923 | |
Limnonaja Schmidt (type species: Boulengerina christyi Boulenger 1904) |
|
1944 | |
Paranaja Loveridge (type species: Naia anomala Sternfeld 1917; syn. Wüster, Crookes, Ineich & Mane 2007) |
|
2009 | |
Afronaja Wallach, Wüster & Broadley (type species: Naja nigricollis Reinhardt 1843; syn. Wallach, Wüster & Broadley 2009) |
Contents:
37 species, of which 9 (24.3%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0%  100%
Other common names:
Afronaja: African Spitting Cobras
Boulengerina: Water Cobras, African Rainforest Cobras
Paranaja: Burrowing Cobra
Uraeus: African Open Formation Cobras
Remarks:
Research during the past decades has revealed that this genus includes a much larger number of species than previously thought.
For a long time the genus was believed to contain four African species (haje, nigricollis, nivea, melanoleuca)
and one Asiatic (naja), but many former subspecies or synonyms of these five species are now recognized as separate species.
In addition, several new species have been described, and the nominal genera Boulengerina (annulata, christyi)
and Paranaja (multifasciata) are now included in Naja (Nagy, Vidal, Vences, Branch, Pauwels, Wink & Joger 2005).
David & Vogel (2010) expressed doubt regarding the synonymization of Boulengerina with Naja,
and retained both Boulengerina and Paranaja as valid, but the conclusions of Wüster, Crookes, Ineich & Mane (2007) supported the synonymization.
Nevertheless, Wallach, Williams & Boundy (2014) treated Boulengerina as a valid genus, including Paranaja as a synonym,
as well as Naja melanoleuca.
They also regarded Afronaja and Uraeus as valid genera, but all without discussion or references.
Other authors have followed these arrangements (e.g., Ceríaco, Sá, Bandeira, Valério, Stanley, Kuhn, Marques, Vindum, Blackburn & Bauer 2016).
Distribution:
Africa, Middle East, Central and South Asia, Malay Archipelago.
Reported from:
Afghanistan,
Algeria,
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Bangladesh,
Benin,
Bhutan,
Botswana,
Brunei,
Burkina Faso,
Burundi,
Cambodia,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
China
(Anhui,
Chongqing,
Fujian,
Guangdong,
Guangxi,
Guizhou,
Hainan,
Hong Kong
[incl.
Shek Kwu Chau Island],
Hubei,
Hunan,
Jiangxi,
Macau,
Sichuan,
Tibet,
Yunnan,
Zhejiang),
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Djibouti,
Egypt,
Equatorial Guinea
(Bioko,
Elobey Island,
Rio Muni),
Eritrea,
Eswatini,
Ethiopia,
Gabon,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau
(incl.
Bijagos Archipelago),
India
(Andaman & Nicobar Islands
[Andaman Islands],
Andhra Pradesh,
Arunachal Pradesh,
Assam,
Bihar,
Chhattisgarh,
Delhi,
Goa,
Gujarat,
Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir,
Jharkhand,
Karnataka,
Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra,
Meghalaya,
Mizoram,
Nagaland,
Odisha,
Punjab,
Rajasthan,
Sikkim,
Tamil Nadu,
Telangana,
Tripura,
Uttar Pradesh,
Uttarakhand,
West Bengal),
Indonesia
(Alor,
Bali,
Bangka,
Belitung,
Flores,
Java,
Kalimantan,
Komodo,
Lembata,
Lingga Islands,
Lombok,
Madura,
Penida,
Riau Islands,
Rinca,
Sumatra,
Sumbawa),
Iran,
Ivory Coast,
Kenya,
Laos,
Liberia,
Libya,
Malawi,
Malaysia
(Sabah,
Sarawak,
West Malaysia
[incl.
Langkawi Archipelago,
Seribuat Archipelago
(incl.
Tioman)]),
Mali,
Mauritania,
Morocco,
Mozambique
(incl.
Bazaruto Archipelago),
Myanmar,
Namibia,
Nepal,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Oman,
Pakistan,
Philippines
(Bohol,
Calamian Islands
[Busuanga,
Calauit,
Culion],
Camiguin Sur,
Dinagat,
Leyte,
Luzon,
Marinduque,
Masbate,
Mindanao,
Mindoro,
Palawan,
Samar),
Rwanda,
Sao Tome & Principe
(Sao Tome),
Saudi Arabia,
Senegal,
Sierra Leone,
Singapore,
Somalia,
South Africa
(Eastern Cape,
Free State,
Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga,
North West Province,
Northern Cape,
Western Cape),
South Sudan,
Sri Lanka,
Sudan,
Taiwan,
Tajikistan,
Tanzania
(incl.
Mafia,
Pemba,
Zanzibar),
Thailand,
Togo,
Tunisia,
Turkmenistan,
Uganda,
Uzbekistan,
Vietnam
(incl.
Cat Ba Island),
Western Sahara,
Yemen,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
| |
|
Naja anchietae
|
Southwest African Cobra, (Anchieta's Cobra)
|
|
Anchieta-Kobra
|
|
Sydvestafrikansk Kobra
|
|
1879 | |
Naja anchietae Bocage |
|
| |
Naja haie anchietae Mertens 1937 |
|
| |
Naja annullifera anchietae Broadley 1995 |
|
| |
Uraeus anchietae Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
|
1921 | |
Naja anchietae barotseensis Angel (Broadley 1995) |
Remarks:
Revalidated as a separate species by Broadley & Wüster (2004).
Some authors recognize the subgenus Uraeus as a separate genus, in which anchietae was included, along with other species.
Distribution:
Angola,
Botswana,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Namibia,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Naja annulata
|
Ringed Water Cobra, Banded Water Cobra
|
|
Gebänderte Wasserkobra
|
|
Båndet Vandkobra
|
|
1877 | |
Naja annulata Buchholz & Peters |
|
| |
Boulengerina annulata Mocquard 1897 |
|
1884 | |
Aspidelaps bocagei Sauvage (Wüster, Chirio, Trape, Ineich, Jackson, Greenbaum, Barron, Kusamba, Nagy, Storey, Hall, Wüster, Barlow & Broadley 2018) |
|
1886 | |
Boulengerina stormsi Dollo |
|
| |
Boulengerina annulata stormsi Loveridge 1931 |
Other common names:
annulata: Western Ringed Water Cobra
stormsi: Eastern Ringed Water Cobra, Lake Tanganyika Water Cobra
Remarks:
Previously placed in a separate genus, Boulengerina.
See further remarks above, under the genus.
Distribution:
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Equatorial Guinea
(Rio Muni),
Gabon,
Nigeria,
Rwanda,
Tanzania,
Zambia.
|
|
|
Naja annulifera
|
African Banded Cobra, Snouted Cobra
|
|
Gebänderte Uräusschlange
|
|
Snudekobra
|
|
1854 | |
Naja haje annulifera Peters |
|
| |
Naja annulifera Primor & Slotkin 1978 |
|
| |
Uraeus annuliferus Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Remarks:
Previously included anchietae.
Raised to species status by Broadley (1995), although already Primor & Slotkin (1978) had treated it as such.
Some authors recognize the subgenus Uraeus as a separate genus, in which annulifera was included, along with other species.
Distribution:
Botswana,
Eswatini,
Malawi,
Mozambique,
South Africa
(Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga,
North West Province),
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
|
Naja annulifera
© Rune Midtgaard
|
|
Naja arabica
|
Arabian Cobra
|
|
Arabische Kobra
|
|
Arabisk Kobra
|
|
1932 | |
Naja haie arabica Scortecci |
|
| |
Naja arabica Trape, Chirio, Broadley & Wüster 2009 |
|
| |
Uraeus arabicus Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Remarks:
Some authors recognize the subgenus Uraeus as a separate genus, in which arabica was included, along with other species.
Distribution:
Oman,
Saudi Arabia,
Yemen.
|
|
|
Naja ashei
|
East African Spitting Cobra, Large Brown Spitting Cobra, (Ashe's Spitting Cobra)
|
|
Ostafrikanische Speikobra
|
|
Østafrikansk Spyttekobra
|
|
2007 | |
Naja ashei Wüster & Broadley |
|
| |
Afronaja ashei Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a colour phase of nigricollis.
Some authors recognize the subgenus Afronaja as a separate genus, in which ashei was included, along with other species.
Distribution:
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Somalia,
South Sudan,
Tanzania,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Naja atra
|
Chinese Spitting Cobra, Chinese Cobra, (Indochinese Spitting Cobra)
|
|
Chinesische Kobra
|
|
Kinesisk Spyttekobra
|
|
1842 | |
Naja atra Cantor |
|
| |
Naja tripudians atra Peters in Martens 1876 |
|
| |
Naja naja atra Stejneger 1907 |
|
| |
Naja kaouthia atra Deraniyagala |
|
1859 | |
Naja tripudians scopinucha Cope (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1876 | |
Naja tripudians unicolor Peter in Martens (Golay & al. 1993) |
Remarks:
Records from Laos and Thailand are based on misidentifications (Teynié & David 2007; Maury, David & Sudavanh 2022).
Distribution:
China
(Anhui,
Chongqing,
Fujian,
Guangdong
[incl.
Nan Ao Island],
Guangxi,
Guizhou,
Hainan,
Hong Kong
[incl.
Shek Kwu Chau Island],
Hubei,
Hunan,
Jiangxi,
Macau,
Sichuan,
Yunnan,
Zhejiang),
Taiwan,
Vietnam
(incl.
Cat Ba Island).
|
|
|
Naja christyi
|
Congolese Water Cobra, (Christy's Water Cobra)
|
|
Christys Wasserkobra
|
|
Congolesisk Vandkobra
|
|
1904 | |
Boulengerina christyi Boulenger |
|
| |
Limnonaja christyi Schmidt 1923 |
|
| |
Naja christyi Nagy, Vidal, Vences, Branch, Pauwels, Wink & Joger 2005 |
Remarks:
Previously placed in a separate genus, Boulengerina.
See further remarks above, under the genus.
Angola is not considered part of the distribution herein, for although it has been listed for the country (e.g., Spawls & Branch 1995; David & Ineich 1999), it was
not included by Branch (2018).
Distribution:
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa.
|
|
|
Naja crawshayi
|
Katanga Spitting Cobra
|
|
Katanga-Speikobra
|
|
Katanga-spyttekobra
|
|
1893 | |
Naja nigricollis var. crawshayi Günther |
|
| |
Naja crawshayi Broadley & Cotterill 2004 |
|
| |
Afronaja crawshayi Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
|
1895 | |
Naja nigricollis occidentalis Bocage (tentative synonym) |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym of nigricollis (e.g., Broadley 1968, Golay & al. 1993).
Provisionally regarded as a valid species herein, following Broadley & Cotterill (2004) and Wallach, Williams & Boundy (2014).
The exact distribution boundaries between nigricollis and crawshayi are unclear, since many authors continue to treat crawshayi as a synonym
of nigricollis, due to the absence of an updated revision of this group of cobras.
Records of nigricollis from Angola, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Malawi, Namibia, and Zambia are tentatively treated as crawshayi herein, pending further
studies.
Some authors recognize the subgenus Afronaja as a separate genus, in which crawshayi was included, along with other species.
Distribution:
Angola,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Gabon,
Malawi,
Namibia,
Tanzania,
Zambia.
|
|
|
Naja fuxi
|
Brown Banded Cobra
|
|
Braune Gebänderte Kobra
|
|
Brun Båndet Kobra
|
|
2022 | |
Naja fuxi Shi, Vogel, Chen & Ding in Shi, Vogel, Ding, Rao, Liu, Zhang, Wu & Chen |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as populations of kaouthia.
Expected to occur also in Guizhou, China, as well as in the neighbouring countries Myanmar and Vietnam.
David, Teynié & Vogel (2023) confirmed the presence of both fuxi and kaouthia in Laos, however, the exact distributions of the two species in the country need further study.
Also confirmed for Thailand.
Distribution:
China
(Guangxi,
Sichuan,
Yunnan),
Laos,
Thailand.
|
|
|
Naja guineensis
|
Black Forest Cobra
|
|
Schwarze Waldkobra
|
|
Sort Skovkobra
|
|
2018 | |
Naja guineensis Wüster, Chirio, Trape, Ineich, Jackson, Greenbaum, Barron, Kusamba, Nagy, Storey, Hall, Wüster, Barlow & Broadley |
Remarks:
This species was previously regarded as populations of melanoleuca
(Wüster, Chirio, Trape, Ineich, Jackson, Greenbaum, Barron, Kusamba, Nagy, Storey, Hall, Wüster, Barlow & Broadley 2018).
Records of melanoleuca from the Bijagos Archipelago are herein provisionally regarded as representing guineensis.
Distribution:
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau
(incl.
Bijagos Archipelago),
Ivory Coast,
Liberia,
Sierra Leone,
Togo.
|
|
|
Naja haje
|
Egyptian Cobra, Brown Cobra, (Black Cobra)
|
|
Uräusschlange
|
|
Ægyptisk Kobra, Aspiskobra, Cleopatras Slange
|
|
1758 | |
Coluber haje Linnaeus |
|
| |
Vipera haje Daudin 1803 |
|
| |
Naja haje Merrem 1820 |
|
| |
Uraeus haje Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
|
1768 | |
Cerastes candidus Laurenti (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1789 | |
Coluber candissimus Lacepede (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1873 | |
Naja haje viridis Peters (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1885 | |
Naja haje nigra Müller [not Naja nigra Gray 1830] (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1989 | |
Naja haje legionis Valverde (Golay & al. 1993) |
Other common names:
legionis: Moroccan Cobra
Remarks:
Some authors recognize the subgenus Uraeus as a separate genus, in which haje was included, along with other species.
Previously included anchietae, annulifera, arabica, and the populations now assigned to senegalensis.
Not mentioned for Djibouti by Spawls, Mazuch & Mohammad (2023).
The name Black Cobra should be avoided, since it has also been used for melanoleuca and oxiana.
Distribution:
Algeria,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Djibouti,
Egypt,
Eritrea,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Libya,
Mali,
Morocco,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Somalia,
South Sudan,
Sudan,
Tanzania,
Tunisia,
Uganda,
Western Sahara.
|
Naja haje
© Rune Midtgaard
|
|
Naja kaouthia
|
Monocellate Cobra, Bengal Cobra, Monocled Cobra, (Siamese Cobra, Thai Cobra)
|
|
Monokelkobra
|
|
Monokelkobra
|
|
1830 | |
Naja tripudians fasciata Gray [not Naja fasciata Laurenti 1768] |
|
1831 | |
Naja kaouthia Lesson |
|
| |
Naja naja kaouthia Smith 1940 |
|
1839 | |
Naja larvata Cantor (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1986 | |
Naja kaouthia suphanensis Nutphand (Wüster, Thorpe, Cox, Jintakune & Nabhitabhata 1995) |
|
1991 | |
Naja naja combodia Khole (Golay & al. 1993) |
Remarks:
Revalidated as a separate species by Wüster & Thorpe (1992a), after having been considered a subspecies of naja for many years.
Previously included sagittifera as well as the population now assigned to fuxi.
Records from the Andaman Islands refer to sagittifera (Das 1999).
Records from China refer to fuxi.
A record from Tibet (Rao 2000) needs confirmation.
Kramer's (1977) record from Nepal refer to naja (W. Wüster in David & Ineich 1999, p. 387), but kaouthia has subsequently been recorded from the country
(Schleich & Kästle (eds.) 2002).
Distribution:
Bangladesh,
Bhutan,
Cambodia,
India
(Arunachal Pradesh,
Assam,
Haryana,
Jharkhand,
Madhya Pradesh,
Meghalaya,
Mizoram,
Nagaland,
Odisha,
Sikkim,
Tripura,
Uttarakhand,
West Bengal),
Laos,
Malaysia
(West Malaysia
[incl.
Langkawi Archipelago]),
Myanmar,
Nepal,
Thailand,
Vietnam.
|
Naja kaouthia
© Rune Midtgaard
|
|
Naja katiensis
|
Brown Spitting Cobra, West African Brown Spitting Cobra, Katian Spitting Cobra, Western Pallid Spitting Cobra
|
|
Westafrikanische Braune Speikobra
|
|
Vestafrikansk Spyttekobra, Vestlig Rød Spyttekobra
|
|
1922 | |
Naja nigricollis var. katiensis Angel |
|
| |
Naja mossambica katiensis Broadley 1968 |
|
| |
Naja katiensis Hughes & Barry 1969 |
|
| |
Afronaja katiensis Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
|
1968 | |
Naja trilepis Roman (Golay & al. 1993) |
Remarks:
Some authors recognize the subgenus Afronaja as a separate genus, in which katiensis was included, along with other species.
Presence in Niger needs confirmation (Trape & Mané 2015).
Listed for Gambia by Spawls & Branch (1995) and Chirio & LeBreton (2007), but not by Emms, Jambang, Bahl, Mankali, Paziaud & Barnett (2007).
Distribution:
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Cameroon,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Ivory Coast,
Mali,
Mauritania,
Nigeria,
Senegal,
Togo.
|
|
|
Naja mandalayensis
|
Burmese Spitting Cobra, Mandalay Cobra
|
|
Burma-Speikobra
|
|
Burmesisk Spyttekobra
|
|
2000 | |
Naja mandalayensis Slowinski & Wüster |
Distribution:
Myanmar.
|
|
|
Naja melanoleuca
|
Central African Forest Cobra, Black-and-white-lipped Cobra, Black-lipped Cobra, Black-and-white Cobra, (Black Cobra)
|
|
Zentralafrikanische Waldkobra, Schwarzweisse Kobra
|
|
Centralafrikank Skovkobra, Sort-og-hvidlæbet Kobra, (Sortlæbet Kobra)
|
|
1857 | |
Naja haie melanoleuca Hallowell |
|
| |
Naja melanoleuca Matschie 1893 |
|
| |
Boulengerina melanoleuca Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
|
1885 | |
Naja haje leucosticta Fischer (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
| |
Naja leucosticta Bethencourt-Ferreira 1930 |
|
1979 | |
Naja melanoleuca aurata Stucki-Stirn (Golay & al. 1993) |
Remarks:
Now restricted to Central Africa.
Previously included subfulva and the populations now assigned to guineensis, peroescobari, and savannula.
Two specimens are known from Ghana, but without locality data, so they are not included in the distribution map.
The name Black Cobra should be avoided, since it has also been used for haje and oxiana.
Distribution:
Angola
(incl.
Cabinda),
Benin,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Equatorial Guinea
(Bioko,
Elobey Island,
Rio Muni),
Gabon,
Nigeria.
|
Naja melanoleuca
© Rune Midtgaard
|
|
Naja mossambica
|
Mozambique Spitting Cobra, M'fezi
|
|
Mosambik-Speikobra
|
|
Sydøstafrikansk Spyttekobra
|
|
1854 | |
Naja mossambica Peters |
|
| |
Naja nigricollis mossambica Boulenger 1896 |
|
| |
Afronaja mossambica Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Remarks:
Revalidated as a separate species by Broadley (1968).
Some authors recognize the subgenus Afronaja as a separate genus, in which mossambica was included, along with other species.
Older records from Egypt of mossambica refer to nubiae (Wüster & Broadley 2003).
Distribution:
Angola,
Botswana,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Eswatini,
Malawi,
Mozambique,
Namibia,
South Africa
(Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo,
Mpumalanga,
North West Province),
Tanzania
(incl.
Pemba,
Zanzibar),
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Naja multifasciata
|
Burrowing Cobra, Fossorial Cobra
|
|
Wühlkobra
|
|
Gravekobra
|
|
1902 | |
Naia multifasciata Werner |
|
| |
Elapechis multifasciatus Witte 1933 |
|
| |
Paranaja multifasciata Loveridge 1944 |
|
| |
Naja multifasciata Wüster, Crookes, Ineich, Mané, Pook, Trape & Broadley 2007 |
|
| |
Boulengerina multifasciata Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
|
1904 | |
Elapechis duttoni Boulenger |
|
| |
Paranaja multifasciata duttoni Laurent 1956 |
|
| |
Naja multifasciata duttoni Wüster, Crookes, Ineich, Mané, Pook, Trape & Broadley 2007 |
|
1917 | |
Naia anomala Sternfeld |
|
| |
Paranaja multifasciata anomala Loveridge 1944 |
|
| |
Naja multifasciata anomala Wüster, Crookes, Ineich, Mané, Pook, Trape & Broadley 2007 |
Remarks:
Previously placed in a separate genus, Paranaja.
See further remarks above, under the genus.
Distribution:
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Equatorial Guinea
(Rio Muni),
Gabon.
|
|
|
Naja naja
|
Indian Spectacled Cobra, Spectacled Cobra, Indian Cobra, Common Cobra, Binocellate Cobra
|
|
Brillenschlange
|
|
Brilleslange, Indisk Kobra
|
|
1758 | |
Coluber Naja Linnaeus |
|
| |
Vipera naja Daudin 1803 |
|
| |
Naia naia Günther 1864 |
|
| |
Naja naja Stejneger 1907 |
|
1768 | |
Naja brasiliensis Laurenti (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1768 | |
Naja fasciata Laurenti (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
| |
Naja tripudians fasciata Elter 1981 |
|
1768 | |
Naja lutescens Laurenti (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1768 | |
Naja maculata Laurenti (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1768 | |
Naja nonnaja Laurenti (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1788 | |
Coluber caecus Gmelin in Linnaeus (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
| |
Naja tripudians caeca Boulenger 1896 |
|
| |
Naja naja caeca Griffin 1909 |
|
1788 | |
Coluber rufus Gmelin in Linnaeus (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1789 | |
Coluber brasiliae Lacepede (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1789 | |
Coluber peruvii Lacepede (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1803 | |
Vipera naja Daudin (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1820 | |
Naja tripudians Merrem [new name for Coluber Naja Linnaeus 1758] (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1830 | |
Naja nigra Gray (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1945 | |
Naja naja gangetica Deraniyagala (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1945 | |
Naja naja madrasiensis Deraniyagala (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1960 | |
Naja naja indusi Deraniyagala (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1961 | |
Naja naja bombaya Deraniyagala (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1961 | |
Naja naja karachiensis Deraniyagala (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1974 | |
Naja naja ceylonicus Chatman & Di Mari (Golay & al. 1993) |
Remarks:
Previously included a number of subspecies and synonyms (naja, atra, kaouthia, oxiana, philippinensis, polyocellata, sagittifera,
samarensis, siamensis, sputatrix, sumatrana), as well as the populations now assigned to fuxi and mandalayensis, all of which are now regarded as
separate species.
Distribution:
Bangladesh,
Bhutan,
India
(Andhra Pradesh,
Assam,
Bihar,
Chhattisgarh,
Delhi,
Goa,
Gujarat,
Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir,
Jharkhand,
Karnataka,
Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra,
Meghalaya,
Odisha,
Punjab,
Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu,
Telangana,
Uttar Pradesh,
Uttarakhand,
West Bengal),
Nepal,
Pakistan.
|
|
|
Naja nana
|
Dwarf Water Cobra
|
|
Zwerg-Wasserkobra
|
|
Dværg-vandkobra
|
|
2020 | |
Naja nana Collet & Trape |
Distribution:
Congo-Kinshasa.
|
|
|
Naja nigricincta
|
Western Barred Spitting Cobra, Barred Spitting Cobra, Zebra Spitting Cobra, Zebra Snake
|
|
Zebra-Speikobra
|
|
Zebra-spyttekobra
|
|
1940 | |
Naja nigricollis nigricincta Bogert |
|
| |
Naja mossambica nigricincta Broadley 1968 |
|
| |
Naja nigricincta Haagner, Branch & Haagner 2000 |
|
| |
Afronaja nigricincta Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
|
1955 | |
Naja nigricollis woodi Pringle (Wüster, Crookes, Ineich & Mane 2007) |
|
| |
Naja mossambica woodi Broadley 1968 |
|
| |
Naja woodi Bauer & Branch 2001 |
|
| |
Naja nigricincta woodi Wüster, Crookes, Ineich, Mané, Pook, Trape & Broadley 2007 |
Other common names:
woodi: Black Spitting Cobra, Southwestern Black Spitting Cobra, Western Black Spitting Cobra
Remarks:
Some authors recognize the subgenus Afronaja as a separate genus, in which nigricincta was included, along with other species.
Wüster, Crookes, Ineich, Mané, Pook, Trape & Broadley (2007) presented evidence that nigricincta and woodi are distinct from nigricollis,
of which they were previously treated as subspecies.
Already Haagner, Branch & Haagner (2000) treated nigricincta as a separate species, and Bauer & Branch (2001) and Griffin (2003) regarded woodi
as separate, too.
However, the latter arrangement was not supported by evidence (Dobiey & Vogel 2007).
Distribution:
Angola,
Namibia,
South Africa
(Northern Cape,
Western Cape).
|
|
|
Naja nigricollis
|
Black-necked Spitting Cobra, Black-necked Cobra
|
|
Schwarzhals-Speikobra, (Afrikanische Speikobra)
|
|
Sorthalset Spyttekobra
|
|
1843 | |
Naja nigricollis Reinhardt |
|
| |
Afronaja nigricollis Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
|
1955 | |
Naja nigricollis atriceps Laurent (Broadley & Howell 1991; Golay & al. 1993) |
Remarks:
Some authors recognize the subgenus Afronaja as a separate genus, in which nigricollis was included, along with other species.
Previously included the populations now assigned to ashei, crawshayi, katiensis, nigricincta, nubiae, and pallida.
The exact distribution boundaries between nigricollis and crawshayi are unclear, since many authors continue to treat crawshayi as a synonym
of nigricollis, due to the absence of an updated revision of this group of cobras.
Records of nigricollis from Angola, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Malawi, Namibia, and Zambia are tentatively treated as crawshayi herein, pending further
studies.
Older records from Egypt and parts of Sudan refer to nubiae (Wüster & Broadley 2003).
Status of the population in Darfur, Sudan, needs further studies (Wüster & Broadley 2007).
Older records from Somalia refer to pallida or ashei (Wüster & Broadley 2007).
Distribution:
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Ethiopia,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau
(incl.
Bijagos Archipelago),
Ivory Coast,
Kenya,
Liberia,
Mali,
Mauritania,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Rwanda,
Senegal,
Sierra Leone,
South Sudan,
Sudan,
Tanzania,
Togo,
Uganda.
|
|
|
Naja nivea
|
Yellow Cobra, Cape Cobra
|
|
Kapkobra
|
|
Gul Kobra
|
|
1758 | |
Coluber niveus Linnaeus |
|
| |
Vipera nivea Daudin 1803 |
|
| |
Naja nivea Boie 1827 |
|
| |
Uraeus niveus Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
|
1820 | |
Vipera flava Merrem (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
| |
Naia flava Boulenger 1887 |
|
1838 | |
Naja gutturalis Smith (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1854 | |
Naja intermixta Duméril, Bibron & Duméril (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1863 | |
Naja haje capensis Jan (Golay & al. 1993) |
Other common names:
Buttermilk Cobra (colour morph)
Remarks:
Some authors recognize the subgenus Uraeus as a separate genus, in which nivea was included, along with other species.
Distribution:
Botswana,
Namibia,
South Africa
(Eastern Cape,
Free State,
North West Province,
Northern Cape,
Western Cape).
|
|
|
Naja nubiae
|
Nubian Spitting Cobra
|
|
Nubische Speikobra
|
|
Nubisk Spyttekobra
|
|
2003 | |
Naja nubiae Wüster & Broadley |
|
| |
Afronaja nubiae Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Remarks:
Some authors recognize the subgenus Afronaja as a separate genus, in which nubiae was included, along with other species.
Older records from Egypt of mossambica, pallida, and nigricollis refer to nubiae (Wüster & Broadley 2003).
Distribution:
Chad,
Egypt,
Eritrea,
Niger,
Sudan.
|
|
|
Naja obscura
|
Obscure Cobra
|
|
Ägyptische Schwarze Kobra
|
|
Egyptisk Sort Kobra
|
|
2023 | |
Naja obscura Saleh & Trape in Trape |
Distribution:
Egypt.
|
|
|
Naja oxiana
|
Central Asian Cobra, Transcaspian Cobra, Caspian Cobra, Oxus Cobra, Acellate Cobra, (Black Cobra)
|
|
Zentralasiatische Kobra, Mittelasiatische Kobra
|
|
Centralasiatisk Kobra
|
|
1831 | |
Tomyris oxiana Eichwald |
|
| |
Naja oxiana Strauch 1868 |
|
| |
Naja naja oxiana Stejneger 1907 |
Remarks:
Revalidated as a separate species by Wüster & Thorpe (1992a).
Records from Kyrgyzstan (e.g., Golay & al. 1993) are regarded as erroneous (David & Ineich 1999).
It appears that the only reliable records of oxiana from India are from Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh (Wüster 1998; Whitaker & Captain 2004).
Reports from other Indian states (Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand) are probably based on specimens of naja
which lacked a hood mark (Wüster 1998), and are tentatively regarded as such herein.
The name Black Cobra should be avoided, since it has also been used for haje and melanoleuca.
Distribution:
Afghanistan,
India
(Himachal Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir),
Iran,
Pakistan,
Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan.
|
|
|
Naja pallida
|
Eastern Pallid Spitting Cobra, Pink Spitting Cobra, Red Spitting Cobra, Pale Cobra
|
|
Rote Speikobra
|
|
Rød Spyttekobra, Østlig Rød Spyttekobra
|
|
1896 | |
Naja nigricollis var. pallida Boulenger |
|
| |
Naja mossambica pallida Broadley 1968 |
|
| |
Naja pallida Hughes 1983 |
|
| |
Afronaja pallida Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Remarks:
Some authors recognize the subgenus Afronaja as a separate genus, in which pallida was included, along with other species.
Regarded for many years as a subspecies, first of nigricollis (e.g. Boulenger 1896, Parker 1949), and later of mossambica (e.g. Broadley 1968, Joger 1984). Now recognised as a separate species (Branch 1979, Broadley 1983, Broadley & Howell 1991, Golay 1985, Largen & Rasmussen 1993). Older records from Egypt and Niger (e.g., Hughes 1983) refer to nubiae (Wüster & Broadley 2003).
Distribution:
Djibouti,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Somalia,
South Sudan,
Tanzania.
|
Naja pallida
© Rune Midtgaard
|
|
Naja peroescobari
|
São Tomé Cobra
|
|
São-Tomé-Kobra
|
|
São Tomé-kobra
|
|
2017 | |
Naja peroescobari Ceríaco, Marques, Schmitz & Bauer |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a population of melanoleuca (Ceríaco, Marques, Schmitz & Bauer 2017).
Distribution:
Sao Tome & Principe
(Sao Tome).
|
|
|
Naja philippinensis
|
Northern Philippine Cobra
|
|
Nördliche Philippinenkobra
|
|
Nordfilippinsk Kobra
|
|
1922 | |
Naja naja philippinensis Taylor |
|
| |
Naja philippinensis Wüster & Thorpe 1990 |
Distribution:
Philippines
(Catanduanes,
Lubang,
Luzon,
Marinduque,
Masbate,
Mindoro).
|
|
|
Naja polyocellata
|
Sri Lankan Cobra
|
|
Srilankanische Kobra
|
|
Srilankansk Kobra
|
|
1939 | |
Naja naja polyocellata Deraniyagala |
|
| |
Naja polyocellata Shi, Vogel, Ding, Rao, Liu, Zhang, Wu & Chen 2022 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a subspecies og naja.
Revalidated as a separate species by Shi, Vogel, Ding, Rao, Liu, Zhang, Wu & Chen (2022).
Distribution:
Sri Lanka.
|
Naja polyocellata
© Henrik Bringsøe
|
|
Naja sagittifera
|
Andaman Cobra
|
|
Andamanische Kobra
|
|
Andamansk Kobra
|
|
1913 | |
Naja tripudians var. sagittifera Wall |
|
| |
Naja kaouthia sagittifera Deraniyagala 1960 |
|
| |
Naja naja sagittifera Leviton 1968 |
|
| |
Naja sagittifera Wüster, Thorpe, Cox, Jintakune & Nabhitabhata 1995 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym or subspecies of kaouthia (e.g., Deraniyagala 1960; Golay & al. 1993), or of naja (e.g., Leviton 1968). Revalidated by Wüster, Thorpe, Cox, Jintakune & Nabhitabhata (1995).
Distribution:
India
(Andaman Islands).
|
|
|
Naja samarensis
|
Southeastern Philippine Spitting Cobra, Visayan Cobra, Samar Cobra
|
|
Visayas-Kobra
|
|
Sydøstfilippinsk Spyttekobra
|
|
1861 | |
Naja tripudians samarensis Peters |
|
| |
Naia samarensis Boulenger 1896 |
|
| |
Naja naja samarensis Taylor 1922 |
|
| |
Naja kaouthia samarensis Deraniyagala 1960 |
|
| |
Naja sputatrix samarensis Deraniyagala 1960 |
Remarks:
Revalidated as a separate species by Wüster & Thorpe (1990).
Distribution:
Philippines
(Bohol,
Camiguin Sur,
Dinagat,
Leyte,
Mindanao,
Samar).
|
|
|
Naja savannula
|
West African Banded Cobra
|
|
Westafrikanische Savannenkobra
|
|
Vestafrikansk Savannekobra
|
|
2018 | |
Naja savannula Wüster, Chirio, Trape, Ineich, Jackson, Greenbaum, Barron, Kusamba, Nagy, Storey, Hall, Wüster, Barlow & Broadley |
Remarks:
This species was previously regarded as populations of melanoleuca
(Wüster, Chirio, Trape, Ineich, Jackson, Greenbaum, Barron, Kusamba, Nagy, Storey, Hall, Wüster, Barlow & Broadley 2018).
Distribution:
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Cameroon,
Chad,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Ivory Coast,
Mali,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Senegal,
Togo.
|
|
|
Naja senegalensis
|
Senegalese Cobra
|
|
Senegalkobra
|
|
Senegalkobra
|
|
2009 | |
Naja senegalensis Trape, Chirio, Broadley & Wüster |
|
| |
Uraeus senegalensis Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Remarks:
This species represents populations previously assigned to haje.
Some authors recognize the subgenus Uraeus as a separate genus, in which senegalensis was included, along with other species.
Although recorded from Mauritania (e.g., Spawls & Branch 1995, as haje; Chippaux 2001, as haje) and likely to occur there, presence in this country
has not yet been confirmed (Padial 2006, as haje).
Distribution:
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Ghana,
Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau,
Ivory Coast,
Mali,
Niger,
Nigeria,
Senegal,
Togo.
|
|
|
Naja siamensis
|
Siamese Spitting Cobra, Siamese Cobra, (Indochinese Spitting Cobra)
|
|
Siamesische Speikobra, Indochina-Speikobra
|
|
Siamesisk Spyttekobra
|
|
1768 | |
Naja siamensis Laurenti |
|
1980 | |
Naja naja siamensis Nutphand [not Naja siamensis Laurenti 1768] (David, Cox, Pauwels, Chanhome & Thirakhupt 2004) |
|
1982 | |
Naja naja isanensis Nutphand in Thumwipat & Nutphand (Wüster, Warrell, Cox, Jintakune & Nabhitabhata 1997) |
|
| |
Naja sputatrix isanensis Lingenhöle & Trutnau 1989 |
Remarks:
A species long confused with atra, kaouthia, naja, and sputatrix (e.g., Golay & al. 1993). Revalidated by Wüster & Thorpe (1994).
Distribution:
Cambodia,
Laos,
Thailand,
Vietnam.
|
Naja siamensis
© Henrik Bringsøe
|
|
Naja sputatrix
|
Southern Indonesian Spitting Cobra, Javanese Spitting Cobra, (Equatorial Spitting Cobra)
|
|
Indonesische Speikobra
|
|
Sydindonesisk Spyttekobra
|
|
1827 | |
Naja sputatrix Boie |
|
| |
Naja tripudians sputatrix Boulenger 1896 |
|
| |
Naja naja sputatrix Stejneger 1907 |
|
| |
Naja kaouthia sputatrix Deraniyagala 1960 |
|
1842 | |
Naja leptocoryphaea Berthold (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
| |
Naia tripudians leptocoryphaea Jan 1863 |
|
1844 | |
Naja tripudians sondaica Schlegel in Müller & Schlegel [part] (Golay & al. 1993) |
Remarks:
Revalidation as a separate species suggested by Wüster & Thorpe (1989). Records from Thailand (e.g., Warrell 1986) refer to other species, e.g. siamensis (Wüster & Thorpe 1989; Wüster & Thorpe 1994). Previously also confused with sumatrana. Presence in Sulawesi is doubtful and needs confirmation, since only a single voucher specimen is available from the island (Lang & Vogel 2005).
Distribution:
Indonesia
(Alor,
Bali,
Bangka,
Belitung,
Flores,
Java,
Komodo,
Lembata,
Lombok,
Madura,
Penida,
Riau Islands,
Rinca,
Sumbawa).
|
|
|
Naja subfulva
|
Brown Forest Cobra, Savanna Black-and-White Cobra, Eastern Forest Cobra
|
|
Braune Waldkobra
|
|
Brun Skovkobra
|
|
1955 | |
Naja melanoleuca subfulva Laurent |
|
| |
Naja subfulva Chirio & Ineich 2006 |
Remarks:
Raised to status as a separate species by Wüster, Chirio, Trape, Ineich, Jackson, Greenbaum, Barron, Kusamba, Nagy, Storey, Hall, Wüster, Barlow & Broadley (2018),
although regarded as such already by Chirio & Ineich (2006), based on an allegedly forthcoming revision ("Broadley & al. in prep."), which refers to the first
mentioned publication.
That publication also lists specimens from "Sudan", which presumably refers to present day South Sudan.
Sudan is not considered part of the distribution herein.
Introduced to:
South Africa
(Western Cape).
Distribution:
Angola
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo-Brazzaville,
Congo-Kinshasa,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Malawi,
Mozambique
(incl.
Bazaruto Archipelago),
Rwanda,
Somalia,
South Africa
(KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo),
South Sudan,
Tanzania
(incl.
Mafia,
Zanzibar),
Uganda,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
|
|
|
Naja sumatrana
|
Sunda Spitting Cobra, Sumatran Spitting Cobra, Sumatran Cobra, Sumatran Black Cobra, (Equatorial Spitting Cobra)
|
|
Sunda-Speikobra, Sumatra-Speikobra, Goldene Speikobra
|
|
Sunda-spyttekobra
|
|
1844 | |
Naja tripudians sondaica Schlegel in Müller & Schlegel [part] (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
1887 | |
Naja tripudians sumatrana Müller |
|
| |
Naja naja sumatrana Kopstein 1935 |
|
| |
Naja sumatrana Wüster & Thorpe 1989 |
|
1896 | |
Naia tripudians leucodira Boulenger (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
| |
Naia naja leucodira Mertens 1934 |
|
1896 | |
Naja tripudians miolepis Boulenger (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
| |
Naja naja miolepis Griffin 1909 |
|
| |
Naja sumatrana miolepis Shi, Vogel, Ding, Rao, Liu, Zhang, Wu & Chen 2022 |
|
1899 | |
Naja tripudians paucisquamis Peracca (Golay & al. 1993) |
|
| |
Naja tripudians paucisquamosa [sic] Bedot 1909 |
|
| |
Naja naja paucisquamis Barbour 1912 |
|
1961 | |
Naja sputatrix malayae Deraniyagala (Golay & al. 1993) |
Remarks:
A species long confused with kaouthia (e.g. in Thailand - see David, Cox, Pauwels, Chanhome & Thirakhupt 2004) and with sputatrix.
Distribution:
Brunei,
Indonesia
(Bangka,
Belitung,
Kalimantan,
Lingga Islands,
Riau Islands,
Sumatra),
Malaysia
(Sabah,
Sarawak,
West Malaysia
[incl.
Seribuat Archipelago
(incl.
Tioman)]),
Philippines
(Calamian Islands
[Busuanga,
Calauit,
Culion,
Palawan],
Singapore,
Thailand.
|
|
|