Naja nigricincta is a species of spitting cobra in the genus Naja, belonging to the family Elapidae. The species is native to the deserts and drier regions of southern Africa. The species is largely nocturnal, and is often found while crossing roads at night. There are two recognized subspecies.
Naja nigricincta had long been considered to be a subspecies of the black-necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis), but morphological and genetic differences have led to its recognition as a separate species.[1]
Two subspecies are currently recognized under Naja nigricincta. The nominate subspecies N. n. nigricincta, commonly known as the zebra spitting cobra, zebra cobra, zebra snake or western barred spitting cobra, is given its name because of the dark crossbars that run the length of the snake's body. The subspecies N. n. woodi, commonly known as the black spitting cobra, woods black spitting cobra, is solid black and is found only in the desert areas of southern Africa. Both subspecies are smaller than N. nigricollis; with average adult lengths of less than 1.5m (04.9feet).[2]
| Subspecies | Taxon author | Common name | Geographic range | Regional differences | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naja nigricincta nigricincta | N. n. nigricincta | Bogert 1940[3] | Zebra spitting cobra, Western barred spitting cobra, Zebra Snake, Zebra Cobra. | Central and northern Namibia and southern Angola | Grey brown, yellow, or pink with dark bands from head to tail |
| Naja nigricincta woodi | N. n. woodi | Pringle 1955[4] | Black spitting cobra, Woods spitting cobra | Southern Namibia, southern Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa | Solid matte black as adults. Babies are grey bodied with a solid black head. Distinctively different from Naja nigricollis in size and being completely solid black. (S.Angeli 2017) |
Naja nigricincta is an oviparous venomous spitting cobra with dark brown to black body and zebra-like vertical whitish or light yellow stripes along the dorsal side. These stripes are generally evenly spaced and can be complete or fragmented. The ventral scales range from white to orange in color. In juvenile snakes the overall coloration is lighter than in the adults.
Like all other Naja species, this snake can flatten its head and neck into a hood. The head and hood are uniformly dark brown or black.
The venom of Naja nigricincta can cause massive hemorrhaging, necrosis and paralysis in bite victims. These snakes can also spit their venom, hitting their enemies with great accuracy and causing temporary or permanent blindness.[5]
This species is native to parts of southern Africa (southern Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa).