Arabian cobra


The Arabian cobra is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.

Etymology and Taxonomy

Naja arabica is classified under the genus Naja of the family Elapidae. It was first described by an Italian herpetologist, Giuseppe Scortecci in 1932. The generic name Naja is a Latinisation of the Sanskrit word , meaning "cobra". The specific epithet arabica means "of Arabia" or "Arabic".
This species, Naja arabica, had long been considered a subspecies of the Egyptian cobra, but morphological and genetic differences have led to its recognition as a separate species.

Distribution

The Arabian cobra is found in western Oman, southwestern Saudi Arabia, and throughout Yemen.