Naja subfulva LAURENT, 1955
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Naja subfulva
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| Higher Taxa | Elapidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Brown forest cobra G: Braune Waldkobra |
| Synonym | Naja melanoleuca subfulva LAURENT 1955: 132 Naja melanoleuca subfulva — BROADLEY 1962 Naja melanoleuca — BROADLEY 1990: 486 Naja subfulva — CHIRIO & INEICH 2006 Naja melanoleuca subfulva — CHIRIO & LEBRETON 2007 Naja (Boulengerina) melanoleuca subfulva — BROADLEY & BLAYLOCK 2013 Naja (Boulengerina) melanoleuca — CONRADIE et al. 2016 Naja (Boulengerina) subfulva — WÜSTER et al. 2018: 85 Naja subfulva — STANDER 2023: 330 |
| Distribution | Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon, SE Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, (South ?) Sudan, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, Republic of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Burundi (all based on Wüster et al. 2018: 81) Type locality: Lwiro, Kivu, Zaire |
| Reproduction | oviparous. |
| Types | Holotype: RMCA (= MRAC = RGMC = Musée Royal du Congo Belge) 17514; Paratypes: ZFMK 50003 (ex-IRSNB 2.082), MRAC, IRSNB, FMNH. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Midbody scale rows 19, except along coastal regions of East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania), where most specimens have 17 rows. Pattern highly variable. Adults of most populations distinguishable in having a brown forebody, often with spots, generally becoming darker or blackish posteriorly. Labial pattern may be attenuated in many adults. Venter with several black, dark brown or greyish crossbands on the first 50 ventrals, gradually becoming uniform black caudad in some populations, but often remaining entirely light, often with extensive darker spotting or speckling. Where present, the light forebody and/or light posterior venter are diagnostic for this species. Generally fewer ventral bands and ventral scales than N. melanoleuca or N. savannula and fewer subcaudals than N. savannula (Table 8). Genetically diagnosable through possession of unique mitochondrial haplotypes (cyt b: GenBank MH337603–633; ND4: MH337409–439) and unique PRLR and UBN1 haplotypes (PRLR: MH337441–471; UBN1: MH337531, MH337536–562, MH337564–566) [Wüster et al. 2018: 85] Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 1309 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Venomous! Similar species: Naja melanoleuca has been split up into 4 species by Wüster et al. 2018, namely N. melanoleuca s. str., N. guineensis, N. savannula, and N. subfulva, all of which are variable and partly sympatric. See also N. melanoleuca. Distribution: see map in Wüster et al. 2018: 81, Fig. 6 |
| Etymology | Named after Latin sub (under, somewhat) and Latin fulvus for fulvous or tawny underneath. Apparently in reference to the coloration of its head, neck, and front half of the body. |
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