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King cobra
The King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), also sometimes referred to as Hamadryad, is the world’s largest venomous snake, capable of growing up to 5.5 m (18.04 ft), is rare, but has wide a distribution. This monotypic genus of the family Elapidae is considered as a species complex, as the species varies in colouration, scalation and body proportion. The King cobra is distributed in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, and most parts of Southeast Asia including Indonesia and the Philippines. The King cobra is listed under Schedule II of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972; Appendix II of CITES; and in the Vulnerable category by IUCN (2010).This is a very elusive species, rarely seen and rarely bites humans, when it does, however, the mortality rate is generally low.
Taxonomy and etymology
The king cobra is the sole member of genus Ophiophagus, while most other cobras are members of the genus Naja. They can be distinguished from other cobras by size and hood. King cobras are generally larger than other cobras, and the stripe on the neck is like the symbol "^" instead of a double or single eye shape that may be seen in most of the other Asian cobras. Moreover, the hood of the king cobra is narrower and longer.[1] A foolproof method of identification is if on the head, clearly visible, is the presence of a pair of large scales known as occipitals, at the back of the top of the head. These are behind the usual "nine-plate" arrangement typical of colubrids and elapids, and are unique to the king cobra.
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