Cobra is the

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

of various venomous snakes, most of which belong to the genus '' Naja''. Many cobras are capable of rearing upwards and producing a

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when threatened.

Other snakes known as "cobras"

While the members of the genus ''Naja'' constitute the true cobras, the name ''cobra'' is also applied to these other genera and species: * The rinkhals, ringhals or ring-necked spitting cobra (''Hemachatus haemachatus'') so-called for its neck band as well as its habit of rearing upwards and producing a hood when threatened * The king cobra or hamadryad (''Ophiophagus hannah'') * The two species of tree cobras, Goldie's tree cobra ('' Pseudohaje goldii'') and the black tree cobra ('' Pseudohaje nigra'') * The two species of shield-nosed cobras, the Cape coral snake ('' Aspidelaps lubricus'') and the shield-nosed cobra (''Aspidelaps scutatus'') * The two species of black desert cobras or desert black snakes, '' Walterinnesia aegyptia'' and ''Walterinnesia morgani'', neither of which rears upwards and produces a hood when threatened * The eastern coral snake or American cobra ('' Micrurus fulvius''), which also does not rear upwards and produce a hood when threatened The false water cobra ('' Hydrodynastes gigas'') is the only "cobra" species that is not a member of the Elapidae. It does not rear upwards, produces only a slight flattening of the neck when threatened, and is only mildly venomous.

Notes

References

{{Animal common name, snakes Broad-concept articles Snakes Predators