Snake ID, Kaziranga, India (1 Viewer)

Ben88 · Feb 11, 2016

Jeppe Bundgaard photographed this snake while we were birding/mammal-watching at Kaziranga NP in Assam, India. The local guide called it a King Cobra, but he also said every flying Thick-billed Warbler was a Slender-billed Babbler and every singing one was a Marsh Babbler. Is this a King Cobra, or another species of snake, and why?

Biancone · Feb 11, 2016

Ben88 said:
Is this a King Cobra, or another species of snake, and why?

Hi. I suspect this is a Naja rather than King Cobra Ophiophagus because I cannot make out the large paired occipital scales (behind the parietals) typical of King Cobra. But...I'm really out of touch so suggest you wait for other views! Regards,
Brian

Mike Richardson · Feb 11, 2016

Biancone said:
Hi. I suspect this is a Naja rather than King Cobra Ophiophagus because I cannot make out the large paired occipital scales (behind the parietals) typical of King Cobra. But...I'm really out of touch so suggest you wait for other views! Regards,
Brian

Without access to any field guides these were my exact thoughts. I think the Indian Cobra is also known as 'King Cobra' in parts of India along with various other common names. True King Cobras are much rarer and less likely to be encountered.

Ben88 · Feb 20, 2016

I asked Vivek Sharma from IndianSnakes.org who identified it as a Monocle Cobra:

King Cobra has 15 body rows while monocled has more than 20 in most of the body parts. On the posteriormost side of frame where mod body exists you can count scales are more than 10, so total dorsal scales rounding that body section will be some 19-21. Second thing i can see is presence of hood mark on the place where it should be present. In the same part of neck you can see black spot on the edge of ventrals. These black spots appear best when snake is displaying hood.

Andy Adcock · Feb 20, 2016

Ben88 said:
I asked Vivek Sharma from IndianSnakes.org who identified it as a Monocle Cobra:

Surely it's Spectacled rather than Monacled?

The black mark from what would be the opened hood which can bee seen, would not be there on Monacled but is in the perefect position for Spectacled?

It's harder than birding!

Andy

SteveTS · Mar 29, 2016

Not a King cobra, just visible in this specimen is the small triangular scale on the margin of the mouth between the 4th and 5th lower labials, absent in Ophiophagus hannah and definitive for Naja naja.

Best wishes,

Snake ID, Kaziranga, India (1 Viewer)

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