Cobra is the

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often con ...

of various

venomous snakes ''Venomous snakes'' are species of the suborder Serpentes that are capable of producing venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The venom is typically delivered by injection using hollow ...

, most of which belong to the genus ''

Naja ''Naja'' is a genus of venomous elapid snakes commonly known as cobras (or "true cobras"). Various species occur throughout Africa, Southwest Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Several other elapid species are often called "cobras", such a ...

''. Many cobras are capable of rearing upwards and producing a hood when threatened.

Other snakes known as "cobras"

While the members of the genus ''Naja'' constitute the true cobras, the name ''cobra'' is also applied to these other genera and species: * The

rinkhals The rinkhals (; ''Hemachatus haemachatus''), also known as the ringhals or ring-necked spitting cobra, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is found in parts of southern Africa. It is not a true cobra in that it do ...

, ringhals or ring-necked spitting cobra (''Hemachatus haemachatus'') so-called for its neck band as well as its habit of rearing upwards and producing a hood when threatened * The

king cobra The king cobra (''Ophiophagus hannah'') is a species complex of snakes Endemism, endemic to Asia. With an average of and a record length of , it is the world's longest venomous snake and among the heaviest. Under the genus ''Ophiophagus'', i ...

or hamadryad (''Ophiophagus hannah'') * The two species of tree cobras, Goldie's tree cobra ('' Pseudohaje goldii'') and the black tree cobra ('' Pseudohaje nigra'') * The two species of shield-nosed cobras, the Cape coral snake ('' Aspidelaps lubricus'') and the shield-nosed cobra (''Aspidelaps scutatus'') * The two species of black desert cobras or desert black snakes, '' Walterinnesia aegyptia'' and ''Walterinnesia morgani'', neither of which rears upwards and produces a hood when threatened * The eastern coral snake or American cobra (''

Micrurus fulvius ''Micrurus fulvius'', Common name, commonly known as the eastern coral snake,John L. Behler, Behler John L.; Frederic Wayne King, King, F. Wayne (1979). ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians''. New York: Alf ...

''), which also does not rear upwards and produce a hood when threatened The false water cobra ('' Hydrodynastes gigas'') is the only "cobra" species that is not a member of the Elapidae. It does not rear upwards, produces only a slight flattening of the neck when threatened, and is only mildly venomous.

Notes

References

{{Animal common name, snakes Broad-concept articles Snakes Predatory animals