Monocled Cobra is a species of Cobra found in many south-east Asian countries. India's north-east and Odisha regions are known for its wide distribution where it is found commonly. This snake is one of the most common causes of death by venomous snake bites in its range and during the monsoon period cases increase to notable limits around agricultural lands and rural areas. It can be identified easily only if it shows hood which bears a rounded or mask shaped hood mark. Otherwise. with its wide range of colorations and banded forms, it looks similar to the Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa) and Checkered Keelback (Xenochrophis piscator) with which it is commonly confused.
🗒 Synonyms
| synonym | Naia tripudians Boulenger, 1896 |
| synonym | Naia tripudians var. fasciata Boulenger 1896 |
| synonym | Naia tripudians var. fasciata Hardwicke & Gray 1835 |
| synonym | Naja (Naja) kaouthia Wallach et al. 2009 |
| synonym | Naja kaouthia Cox et al. 1998 |
| synonym | Naja kaouthia kaouthia Deraniyagala 1960 |
| synonym | Naja kaouthia Manthey & Grossmann 1997 |
| synonym | Naja kaouthia suphanensis Nutaphand 1986 |
| synonym | Naja kaouthia Wallach et al. 2014 |
| synonym | Naja kauthia Pradhan et al. 2014 (in error) |
| synonym | Naja naja Bourret, 1937 |
| synonym | Naja naja kaouthia Golay 1985 |
| synonym | Naja naja kaouthia Harding & Welch 1980 |
| synonym | Naja naja kaouthia Sharma 2004 |
| synonym | Naja naja kaouthia Smith 1940 |
| synonym | Naja naja sputatrix Bourret 1937 |
| synonym | Naja tripudians Gray, 1830 |
| synonym | Naja tripudians var. fasciata Gray 1830 |
🗒 Common Names
| Assamese |
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| English |
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📚 Overview
Summary
Reptile group
snakes
Diagnostic Keys
Head:
Usually more than one cuneate scale exist on each side; supralabial 7; 3rd & 4th in contact with eyes; 3rd supralabial is significantly larger then rest of foreside supralabials; preocular 1, in contact with posterior nasal hence loreal absent; postocular 3; temporal 2+3.
Dorsal:
Males- 26-34 (at 10th ventral): 19-23 (at 20% and 40% ventral): 17-21 (at 60% of ventral): 14-17 (at 80% of ventral): 14-19 (at vent). Females- 24-33 (at 10th ventral): 19-23 (at 20% and 40% ventral): 17-21 (at 60% of ventral): 15-17 (at 80% of ventral): 15-18 (at vent).
Ventral:
170-192 (Male),178-197 (Female); anal undivided.
Sub Caudal:
48-61(Male), 46-59(Female); divided.
indiansnakes.org
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| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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No Data
📚 Nomenclature and Classification
References
eng: Monocled Cobra
Curated from The Reptile Database
| Attributions | Curated from The Reptile Database |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Lesson, R.P. 1831. Catalogue des Reptiles qui font partie d'une Collection zoologique recueille dans l'Inde continentale ou en Afrique, et apportée en France par M. Lamare-Piquot. Bulletin des Sciences Naturelles et de Géologie, Paris. 25 (2): 119-123
Jayaditya Purkayastha
| Attributions | Jayaditya Purkayastha |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
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| References |
No Data
📚 Natural History
Reproduction
Reproductive mode (Reptiles)
Oviparous
Oviparous, clutch size 8-32 eggs
Jayaditya Purkayastha
| Attributions | Jayaditya Purkayastha |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
It is assumed to capable in reproducing most of the year depending upon geographical area. Mating occurs during winter months to summer. Female lays up to 18 eggs in dry mounds, caves, holes etc. New born seen from Summer to most of the monsoon.
indiansnakes.org
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| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
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Morphology
Preocular: 1; Postocular: 2-3; Supralabials: 7 (3rd
and 4th touches eye); Infralabials: 8; Anterior temporals: 2-3; Posterior
temporals: 4-9; Dorsal scale row formula: 24-34:19-23:14-19.
Ventrals: 164-197; Subcaudals: 43-61 (divided).
Dorsum brown to black. Hood has a monocellate shape or eye mark.
Throat region on ventral side has black bands. Subcaudals may
have dark edges. Venter cream coloured.
Jayaditya Purkayastha
| Attributions | Jayaditya Purkayastha |
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| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
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Dorsal -
Body slender with oval shaped smooth scales. Body color show wide range of colors including dark Yellow, light or dark brown, reddish-brown, black with reddish or grayish ting etc. Bands present in most of the specimens and have contrasting color with main dorsal color.
Ventral -
Belly color can also range from milky white or white mixed with yellow, gray, brown etc. depends on the color of the dorsal body. Sometimes dark colored patches also present which look like ventral scales of a Rat Snake.
Head -
Head slightly triangular with shiny smooth scales, not broader than neck. Neck appears thick when the hood is unstretched. When angered, it stretches hood to show the famous rounded hood mark. Hood mark design may be in the form of complete rounded spot (like eye or moon), may be open from top(like Spectacled Cobra) or can join with edge of the hood. Eyes have rounded pupil. Tongue color Reddish or Pinkish, Black on tip.
Tail -
Shorter than typical range and ends with pointed tip. In many individuals underside of tail have darker or lighter color.
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| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Look Alikes
Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja)
Checkered Keelback (Xenochrophis piscator)
Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa)
King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa)
King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
indiansnakes.org
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| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Behaviour
Monocled Cobra is a crepuscular and nocturnal species which shows both terrestrial and climbing activity depending upon needs. Behavior alert, aggressive and very quick to respond. On provocation raise its one third of forebody to show famous hood and hiss loudly to give warnings. Unlike Spectacled Cobra (N. naja) it can bite in very first attack which makes it more dangerous than N. naja. To escape it tries to creep slowly by keeping eyes on enemy (many times it displays hood while creeping).
indiansnakes.org
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| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
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Trophic Strategy
Feeds on variety of animals including frogs, toads, rodents, fishes; also feeds on birds, other snakes including venomous, small mammals etc.
indiansnakes.org
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| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
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No Data
📚 Habitat and Distribution
General Habitat
Habitat
Terrestrial
Primary and secondary forests, agricultural area and around human habitations (40-1500m above msl)
Tropical, sub tropical forests, scrubland,plantation, rice paddy fields and around human habitation.
Jayaditya Purkayastha
| Attributions | Jayaditya Purkayastha |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Lives up to 3300ft elevation in its range. Distributed in rainforests, mixed, moist deciduous forest, wet grasslands, mangroves, hill forests etc. Lives in dense & open forests, agricultural lands, rural and urban areas having vegetation and wetland, agricultural lands having mounds and deep hiding places, old woods etc. Hides in mounds, holes, piles, caves, cracks, under fallen wooden logs etc.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Description
Global Distribution
India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, South China, Myanmar, Nepal, Mainland Of Southeast Asia
Local Distribution
Northern India, West Bengal and Odisha; Assam (Throughout North East India)
Global Distribution
India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, China, Thailand, Vietnam.
Indian Distribution
NE India , Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sikkim, Assam, West Bengal, Orissa, Tripura
Jayaditya Purkayastha
| Attributions | Jayaditya Purkayastha |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Found in all North-east states, above Gangetic plains (Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand), Odisha, parts of Chota Nagpur (eastern Chattisgarh, whole of Bihar and Jharkhand), Haryana (probably the western most limit of this species)
indiansnakes.org
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| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
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No Data
📚 Occurrence
No Data
📚 Demography and Conservation
Population Biology
This species is common in most of its range. G. Zug (pers. comm.) states that it is widespread and common in Myanmar. It is also fairly common in Indochina. It is considered to have declined by over 30% over the preceding ten years in China as a result of overharvesting
Jayaditya Purkayastha
| Attributions | Jayaditya Purkayastha |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Risk Statement
Schedule II
Jayaditya Purkayastha
| Attributions | Jayaditya Purkayastha |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Category
Least Concern
IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Least Concern
Jayaditya Purkayastha
| Attributions | Jayaditya Purkayastha |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
IUCN: Least Concern
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Threats
The species is probably threatened in China, Myanmar and much of Indochina, as a result of heavy exploitation for use in traditional medicine, including snake wine in Viet Nam, and for skins and food
Jayaditya Purkayastha
| Attributions | Jayaditya Purkayastha |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Direct threats includes killing due to its venom potency, fear due to its aggressive behavior and road kills. This snake is exploited extensively by east Indian snake charmers and comes in pet & skin trade too. Many communities consume this species for edible use. Its venom is used in production of Anti Venom Serum and various research use so venom harvesting is done illegally in some parts of India and many other countries of its range. Other threats in India are wetland loss, pollution and poisoning in agricultural lands etc. Many countries are known for its exploitation for Chinese medicines and snake vine.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Legislation
CITES Status
Appendix II
Protection Legal Status
Wildlife Protection Act (1972): Schedule 2
indiansnakes.org
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| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
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No Data
📚 Uses and Management
Uses
Ecologically this is one important reptile component in wet forests of South-east Asia which checks population of a wide range of prey animals. Venom of N. kaouthia is used for various scientific research and production of Anti-venom Serum which is the most reliable medicine to treat victims of same species bite.
indiansnakes.org
| Attributions | indiansnakes.org |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
📚 Information Listing
References
- Uetz, P., Freed, P. & Hošek, J. (eds.), The Reptile Database, http://www.reptile-database.org, accessed 11/12/2018
Overview > Diagnostic > Diagnostic Keys
- Whitaker R., Captain A. (2004) Snakes of India, The Field Guide. Draco Books
- Wüster W., Thorpe R. S. (1992) Asiatic Cobras: Population systematics of the Naja naja species complex (Serpentes: Elapidae) in India and Central Asia. Herpetologica, 48 (1), 69-85
- Wallach V., Williams K. L., Boundy J. (2014) Snakes of the World: A catalogue of living and extinct species. Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.
- Günther A. (1864) The reptiles of British India. London: Published for the Ray Society by Robert Hardwicke
- Sawai Y. (1998) Venomous snakes and snakebite treatment in Asia. Russian Journal of Herpetology Vol. 5 (2), pp. 103 – 112
- Das A., Bhattacharjee P. C. (2005) Reptilian fauna in and around Gauhati University Campus, Assam, India. Reptile Rap (7), pp. 3-6
- Wüster, W., Thorpe, R. S. (1989) Population affinities of the Asiatic cobra (Naja naja) species complex in south-east Asia: reliability and random resampling. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 36, 391-409
- Das A., Saikia U., Murthy B. H. C. K., Dey S., Dutta S. K. (2009) A herpetofaunal inventory of Barail Wildlife Sanctuary and adjacent regions, Assam, north-eastern India. Hamadryad Vol. 34 (1), pp. 117 – 134
- Wüster W., Thorpe R. S. (1990) Systematics and biogeography of the Asiatic cobra (Naja naja) species complex in the Philippine Islands. Vertebrates in the Tropics. Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, pp. 333-344
- Dutta S. K., Acharjyo L. N. (1995) Herpetofaunal resources and their conservation in Orissa, India. Zoos’ Print, Vol. 10 (7), pp. 5-8
- Wüster W. (1993) A century of confusion: Asiatic cobras revisited. Vivarium 4 (4): 14-18
- Wüsters W. (1998) The cobras of the genus Naja in India. Hamadryad 23 (1): 15-32
- Lawson R., Slowinski J. B., Crother B. I., Burbrink F. T. (2005) Phylogeny of the Colubroidea (Serpentes): New evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 37, pp. 581–601
- Wallach V., Wüster W., Broadeley D. G. (2009) In praise of subgenera: taxonomic status of cobras of the genus Naja Laurenti (Serpentes: Elapidae). Zootaxa 2236: 26–36
- Leviton A. E., Wogan G. O.U., Koo M. S., Zug G. R., Lucas R. S., Vindum J. V. (2003) The dangerously venomous snakes of Myanmar illustrated checklist with keys. Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 54 (24): 407–462
- Boulenger G. A. (1896) Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Vol. 3, London: Taylor and Francis.
- Ao J. M., David P., Bordoloi S., Ohler A. (2004) Notes on a collection of snakes from Nagaland, Northeast India, with 19 new records for this state. Russian Journal of Herpetology, Vol. 11 (2), pp. 155 – 162
- Sharma S. K., Pandey D. P., Shah K. B., Tillack F., Chappuis F., Thapa C. L., Alirol E., Kuch U. (2013) Venomous snakes of Nepal, A photographic guide. B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Dharan, Nepal.
- Kyi S. W., Zug G. R. (2003) Unusual foraging behaviour of Naja kaouthia at the Moyingye Wetlands Bird Sanctuary, Myanmar. Hamadryad, Vol. 27 (2), pp. 265-266
- Wüster W., Thorpe R. S. (1994) Naja siamensis, a cryptic species of venomous snake revealed by mtDNA sequencing. Experientia 50, pp. 75-79
- Wüster W., (1996) Taxonomic changes and toxinology: Systematic revisions of Asiatic Cobrs (Naja naja species complex). Toxicon, Vol. 34 (4), pp. 399-406
- Wüster W., Warrell D. A., Cox M. J., Jintakune P., Nabhitabhata J. (1997) Redescription of Naja siamensis (Serpents: Elapidae), a widely overlooked , spitting cobra from S. E. Asia: geographic variation, medical importance and designation of neotype. J. Zool., Lond. 243, 771-788
- Wüster W., Thorpe R. S., Cox M. J., Jintakune P., Nabhitabhata J. (1995) Populuation systematics of the snake genus Naja (Reptilia: Serpentes: Elapidae) in Indochina: Multivariate morphometrics and comparative mitochondrial DNA sequencing (cytochrome oxidase I). J. Evol. Biol. 8: 493-510
- Wüster W., Thorpe R. S. (1992) Dentitional phenomenon in Cobras revisited: Spitting and fang structure in the Asiatic Species of Naja (Serpents: Elapidae). Herpetologica, 48 (4), pp. 424-434
- Purkayastha J. (2013) An Amateur’s Guide to Reptiles of Assam. EBH Publishers(India)
- Smith M. A. (1943) The fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma including the whole of The Indo-Chinese Sub-region, Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol 3 Serpentes. Taylor & Francis, London.
- Whitaker R. (2005) Common Indian Snakes, A Field Guide. Macmillian Publishers
- Wüster W., McCarthy C. J. (1996) Venomous snake systematics: Implication for snake bite treatment and toxinology. Envenomings and their treatments, pp. 13- 23
- Laltanpuia T. C., Lalrinchhana C., Lalnunsanga, Lalrotluanga, Hmingthansanga R., Kumari A., Renthlei V., Lalrintluangi S., Lalremsanga H. T. (2008) Snakes (Reptilia: Serpentes) of Mizoram University Campus, Tanhril, Aizawl with notes on their identification keys. Science Vision 8 (4) 112-127 : Snakes (Reptilia: Serpentes) of MiZOram University Campus
- Boulenger G. A. (1890) The fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma, Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Taylor and Francis.
- Slowinski J. B., Wüster W. (2000) A new Cobra (Elapidae: Naja) from Myanmar (Burma). Herpetologica, 56 (2), 257-270
- Wüster W., Thorpe R. S. (1991) Asiatic cobras: Systematics and snakebite. Experientia 47, pp. 205-209
Information Listing > References
- Uetz, P., Freed, P. & Hošek, J. (eds.), The Reptile Database, http://www.reptile-database.org, accessed 11/12/2018
No Data
