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Squamata, Serpentes: Elapidae: Cobras, Coral Snakes, Kraits, & Relatives |
| Elapids have short, anterior maxillary fangs that are more or less fixed, that is they do not fold back into a sheath against the roof of the mouth like viper fangs. They occur in the tropics and subtropics of both Hemispheres, and while living forms are absent from Europe, a fossil cobra is known from the Miocene of France. In general appearance elapids are similar to colubrid snakes, except, elapids have those fixed font fangs on the maxillary bone and associated venom glands. These fangs do not fold back like those of viperid snakes, instead they fit into slots on the floor of the mouth. The fangs are more or less tubular, with a central canal for conducting venom. Venomous colubrids may have fangs on the rear of the maxillary at the back of the mouth, but they have an open channel for venom conduction. Elapids can pose a serious threat to human health. These are mostly terrestrial or fossorial snakes, but a few have become semi-aquatic. They feed on vertebrates which are killed or subdued with the help of venom. There is an ongoing discussion as to include or exclude the Sea Snakes and their relatives (the Hydrophiidae) with the Elapidae. For now I am listing them as separate families, but clearly they shared a common ancestor at some point. There are 15 genera and about 138 species of elapids. |
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Red Headed Krait, Bungarus flaviceps Reinhardt, 1843. Photographed in Thailand.
Click on the photo for more Krait (Bungarus) photographs and information.
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The South American Coral Snake, Micrurus lemniscatus diutis Burger, 1955. Photographed in Trinidad's Arima Valley.
Click on the photo for more Coral Smake (Micrurus and its relatives) photographs and information
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The King Cobra, Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836). A zoo animal of unknown origin.
Click on the photo for more Cobra (Naja, Ophiophagus) photographs and information.
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