Naja

Naja is a genus of venomous elapid snakes. Although there are several other genera that share the common name, naja are the most recognized, and most widespread group of snakes commonly known as cobras. The genus Naja consists of from 20 to 22 species, but has undergone several taxonomic revisions in recent years, so sources vary greatly. They range throughout Africa, the Middle-East, India, southeastern Asia, and Indonesia.

Etymology

From Old Indian nāga, cognate with English 'snake', Germanic: *snēk-a-, Proto-IE: *(s)nēg-o-.

Description

Naja species are long, relatively slender snakes. Most species are capable of attaining lengths of 6 feet or more. All have a characteristic ability to raise the front quarters of their bodies off the ground and flatten their necks to appear larger to a potential predator.

Species

*) Not including the nominate subspecies.
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Taxonomy

Several recent taxonomic developments have taken place beyond the current listing in ITIS:

Naja anchietae (Bocage, 1879). A.k.a. Anchieta's cobra. Regarded as a subspecies of N. haje by Mertens (1937) and of N. annulifera by Broadley (1995). Regarded as a full species by Broadley and Wüster (2004).
Naja arabica Scortecci, 1932. A.k.a. Arabian cobra. Long considered a subspecies of N. haje, this was recently raised to the status of a whole species
Naja ashei Broadley and Wüster, 2007. A.k.a. Ashe’s spitting cobra. This is a newly described species found in Africa.
Naja nigricincta Bogert, 1940. This was long regarded as a subspecies of Naja nigricollis, but was recently found to be a full species (with N. nigricincta woodi as a subspecies).
Naja senegalensis Trape et al., 2009. This new species, encompassing what were previously considered to be the West African savanna populations of N. haje, was recently described as a new species.

Two recent molecular phylogenetic studies have also supported the incorporation of the species normally assigned to the genera Boulengerina and Paranaja into Naja, as both are closely related to the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca)

Venom

All species in the genus Naja are capable of delivering a fatal bite in a human. Most species have strongly neurotoxic venom, which attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis, but many also have hemotoxic features which causes swelling, necrosis and has a significant anticoagulant effect.

Several Naja species, referred to as spitting cobras, have developed a specialized venom delivery mechanism, in which their front fangs, instead of releasing venom through the tips, as a hypodermic needle, have a rifled opening in the front surface, which allows the snake to propel the venom out of the mouth. While typically referred to as spitting, the action is more like squirting. The range and accuracy with which they can shoot their venom varies from species to species, but it is used primarily as a defense mechanism. Once sprayed onto a victim's skin, the venom acts as a severe irritant. If it is introduced to the eye, it can cause a severe burning sensation and temporary or even permanent blindness if not cleaned out immediately and thoroughly.

Translation

The word "Naja" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Czech, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese.

Translation(s) in other languages: German: Echte Kobras, Georgian: ნამდვილი კობრები, Lithuanian: Kobros, Thai: งูเห่า, Japanese: フードコブラ属, Russian: Настоящие кобры, Finnish: Kobrat, Ukrainian: Справжні кобри, Chinese: 眼鏡蛇.