Black forest cobra
| Black forest cobra | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Naja |
| Species: | N. guineensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Naja guineensis (Broadley, Trape, Chirio, Ineich & Wüster in Wüster et al., 2018) | |
The black forest cobra (Naja guineensis) is a species of cobra in the genus Naja that is found in West Africa.
This species was long thought to be identical to the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca), but morphological and genetic differences have led to its recognition as a separate species. It differs from Naja melanoleuca in often having 17 rather than 19 midbody dorsal scale rows, a reduced number of dark ventral bands, and a tendency towards ontogenetic melanism.