Black spitting cobra, Malayan spitting cobra, Golden spitting cobra, Sumatran spitting cobra, Palawan spitting cobra
The Equatorial spitting cobra (Naja sumatrana) is a highly-venomous species of spitting cobra that can intentionally, defensively shoot its venom directly from its fangs. It is found in Southeast Asia and has a number of common names.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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Highly venomousHighly venomous animals are able to produce the most toxic venom which is considered to be one of the most debilitating and potentially deadly.
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe body of this snake is compressed dorsoventrally and sub-cylindrical posteriorly. The head is elliptical, depressed, and slightly distinct from the neck with a short, rounded snout and large nostrils. Eyes are medium in size with round pupils. Dorsal scales are smooth and strongly oblique. This species of cobra has no hood marks and colouration varies based upon geographical location. There are two colour phases: a yellow form commonly found in Thailand and Northern Peninsular Malaysia, and a black form found in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and the islands where it occurs in Indonesia and the Philippines. Juveniles and adults also tend to be of different colour.
Equatorial spitting cobras are found in the equatorial Southeast Asian nations of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and in the Philippines. In Indonesia, they occur on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Bangka, Belitung, and the Riau Archipelago. They may occur on neighboring islands in Indonesia, and it is possible that remnant populations still occur in western Java. In the Philippines, they only occur in the Palawan group of islands (including the Calamian Islands). Equatorial spitting cobras mainly inhabit primary and secondary tropical forests (including dense jungle terrain) and can also be found in gardens, plantations, villages, parks, and urban areas.
Equatorial spitting cobras are terrestrial and mainly diurnal snakes. They are not too aggressive in nature, but can and will readily spit venom, even from up in the trees, when they are cornered or threatened. They will also strike and bite.
Like other cobra species, this snake possesses postsynaptic neurotoxic venom. The venom also consists of cardiotoxins and cytotoxins. Although the venom of the Equatorial spitting cobra exhibited the common characteristic enzymatic activities of Asiatic spitting cobra venoms, the protein composition of the Equatorial spitting cobra venom is distinct from venoms of the other two sympatric spitting cobras, the Javan spitting cobra (N. sputatrix) and Indochinese spitting cobra (N. siamensis).
Equatorial spitting cobras are carnivores that prey mainly on rodents and frogs. However, they will also feed on other snakes, lizards, and small mammals.
Equatorial spitting cobras are oviparous and females usually lay between 6 and 23 eggs.
This species doesn’t face any major threats at present.
According to IUCN Red List, the Equatorial spitting cobra is common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are increasing.
