The Snouted Cobra,Naja annulifera, a valid species in southern Africa

Abstract

BROADLEY, D.G. 1995. The snouted cobra, Naja annulifera, a valid species in southern Africa. J. Herpetol. Assoc. Afr. 44(2): 26–32. The two southern “races” of Naja haje (Linnaeus) represent a distinct species, Naja annulifera Peters, with a poorly defined western race N. a. anchietae Bocage. N. annulifera is readily distinguished from all other African cobras by its pointed snout and prominent rostral shield, which is recurved onto the snout and may actually separate the internasals. This is reflected in the skull, for in adults the bulbous nasal bones extend forward beyond the level of the premaxilla. It also differs from Naja haje in having lower counts for midbody scale rows (mode 17 or 19 compared with 21) and ventrals (usually below 200 in N. annulifera: usually above 200 in N. haje). Although both species are very variable in colour pattern, the strong black and yellow banded pattern, from which N. annulifera gets its name, is not found in N. haje.