Poiionous Snakoi of tho World 



KEY TO GENERA 



I. A. I<i>hmI pit iHcsfiit 2 



11. I.oical pil iilisi'iit 3 



•J. A. Nil cMliuirfd ciduii sliifkls Trlmeresiirun 



H. MiilarfTi'il crown sliiclds present .[(/l-'stnuliiii 



.".. A. Knliirfji'd crown sluckls iibseMit or reduced in 



iiiiiulior 4 



1>. Kifx'il <>!' '•' enliu'j^ed crown sliields ;") 



I. A. \'en(i-iils t'xlendin^ full widtli of lielly V///r/fi 



H. \'enti'ids not extending; lull width of l)elly or 



ul)sen( ^ NP* 



T). A. rail piiddle-shiiped Sea snakes 



see Cliai)ter YWl 



B. Tail not paddle-sliaped 



(>. A. T^oieal scale present NP 



n. Loreal scale al)sent 7 



T. A. Dorsal scales smooth 8 



n. Dorsal scales keeled NP 



S. A. \'crlel)i'al scale I'ow enlarged; suhcaudals single Biinf/finis 



H. Not as above 



0. A. Body scales in 17 or more rows on neck; hood 



seen in life 10 



B. Body scales in i;i or IT) rows on nc<k: no hood II 



10. A. Occipital shields present; anterior suhcaudals 



single O i>lii(ii>]iii(jiix 



B. Occipital sliields absent ; suhcaudals paired Naja 



11. .V. Venom glands in normal position; anal shield 



usually divided Cairiophh 



\\. \'enom glands extended well hack into Ixxly; 



anal entire Maticom 



* N.P. — Xonpoisonous 



ternal grooves followed, after an interspace, by 0-3 tliidugliont lindy. Ventrals 107-29.3; anal plate entire; 



small teeth. subeaudals paired, 15-50. 



Maxillary teeth: Two large tnbnlar fangs; no other 



ELAPIDAE: Genus Maticora Gray, 1834. teeth on the bone. 



Remarks: The only consistent difference between 



I.ong-glanded coral snakes. fliese snakes and those of the genus Calllophis Is that 



Two species are found in the region of southeastern Mutirora has elongated venom glands that extend pos- 



Asia: from Thailand and the Philippines to Sumatra, teriorly for about one-third of the body length. The 



Java, Borneo, and Celebes. These snakes are relatively '"'"''t '!"« been pushed l)ack to the middle third of the 



small and slender but individuals of one species. .1/. '"'fl.^. where it can be felt (in preserved specimens) as 



hirirgata. occasionally approach 5 feet in length ; such n l>ard object, thus identifying the genus, 

 individuals are believed to be capable of inflicting a 



dangerous bite (see p. 122, fig. 84). One species, .1/. ELAPIDAE: Genus Naja Laurent!, 1768. 



iiilr.itiiiulix. inhabits the I'liilippines. / ■ i , 



Definition: Head small and not distinct from body. 

 Body cylindrical, slender and elongated ; tail short. Six species are recognized ; all are African except the 



Eyes small to moderate; pupils round. .\siatic cobra. Xaja najii, and range throughout the Afri- 



Head scales : The usual 9 on the crown ; no canthus ; can continent except for the drifting sand areas of the 



rostral broad and rounded. Laterally, nasal in broad Sahara region. They are snakes of moderate (4 feet) 



contact with single preocular ; eye in contact with supra- (o large (8 feet) size, with large fangs and toxic venom, 



labial row. The species. .Y. niyricoVix, "spits" its venom at the eyes 



Body scales: Dorsals smooth, in 13 nonoblique rows of an aggressor; it is found in the southern jiart of the 



134 



