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  1. Terrestrial snakes
  2. North Africa, Near and Middle East
  3. Biomedical Database
  4. Elapids
  5. Biological entry: Various African and Arabian Elapids of minor medical importance

Animal: Various African and Arabian Elapids of minor medical importance

Species

  1. Aspidelaps lubricus
  2. Aspidelaps scutatus
  3. Elapsoidea boulengeri
  4. Elapsoidea broadleyi
  5. Elapsoidea chelazziorum
  6. Elapsoidea guentherii
  7. Elapsoidea laticincta
  8. Elapsoidea loveridgei
  9. Elapsoidea nigra
  10. Elapsoidea semiannulata
  11. Elapsoidea sundevallii
  12. Elapsoidea trapei
  13. Hormoroselaps dorsalis
  14. Hormoroselaps lacteus
  15. Pseudohaje goldii
  16. Pseudohaje nigra
  17. Walterinnesia aegyptia
  18. Walterinnesia morgani

The former genus Boulengerina is now assigned to the genus Naja (N. annulata and N. christyi, Wüster et al. 2007).

The former Paranaja multifasciata is now assigned to group of true cobras: Naja multifasciata (Wüster et al. 2007)

Hormoroselaps spp. = formerly Elaps spp. The taxonomic status of Hormoroselaps spp. is unclear. Some authors classify them as Aparallactinae, a subfamily of the Elapoidea. 

Taxonomy

Serpentes; Elapidae; Elapinae

Common names

-Aspidelaps spp.: Shield nose snakes, African coral snakes, Schildnasenkobras

-Boulengerina spp. (now Naja sp.): Water cobras, Wasserkobras

-Elapsoidea spp.: Garter snakes 

-Homoroselaps spp.: Harlequin snakes 

-Paranaja multifasciata (now Naja multifasciata): Burrowing cobra 

-Pseudohaje spp.: Tree cobras, Waldkobras

-Walterinnesia spp.: Desert black snakes, Wüstenkobra

Distribution

See link "Distribution" at the top of the page for detailed information.

-Aspidelaps spp.: Southern Africa 
-Boiulengerina spp. (now Naja sp.): Central Africa
-Elapsoidea spp.: Southern Africa, West, Central and East Africa 
-Homoroselaps spp.: South Africa
-Paranaja multifasciata (now Naja multifasciata): Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Republic of the Congo and The Republic of Cameroon 
-Pseudohaje spp.: West, Central and East Africa 
-Walterinnesia spp.: Desert areas of Egypt, across the Arabian Peninsula to Iran

Boulengerina spp. (now Naja sp.)

Paranaja multifasciata (now Naja multifasciata)

Hormoroselaps spp.

Aspidelaps spp.

Elapsoidea spp.
Walterinnesia spp.

Biology

  1. Aspidelaps spp.: Active at twilight and at night, burrowing species. Live in arid zones such as savannas and semi-deserts. Length up to 80 cm. Short head, wide, shovel-like snout with an enlarged rostral scale (see Morphological key). Markings consist of bands or spots. When threatened they raise their upper body and spread their neck slightly.
  2. Boulengerina spp (now Naja sp.).: Semi-aquatic snakes, in or close to still water and rivers. Length up to 2.4 m. In appearance like cobras, when threatened they spread their necks as cobras do (see Fig.4.57, Naja sp.). Considered harmless.
  3. Elapsoidea spp.: Nocturnal. Live in arid areas. Length up to 1 m. Frequently banded markings.
  4. Hormoroselaps spp.: Conspicuously coloured snakes that mainly live underground. Often in termite mounds. Length 30–60 cm. Very unwilling to bite.
  5. Paranaja multifasciata (now Naja multifasciata): Rare, burrowing species, with relatively long venom fangs. Stout body, length up to 60 cm.
  6. Pseudohaje spp.: Forest-dwelling, arboreal snakes. May also live on the ground or in water. Short head with conspicuously large eyes. Length up to 2 m or more.
  7. Walterinnesia spp.: Nocturnal, native to desert areas. Often found there in oases and gardens. Length up to more than 1 m. Colouring dark or shiny black. During the day they are not at all aggressive when threatened, and try to hide their head under the coils of their own body.

Risk

The reports on bites by elapids species dealt in this database entry are very scarce.

Aspidelaps scutatus bites appear to be extremely rare (Zaltzman et al., 1984). Ptosis, slurred speech, peripheral facial nerve paralysis, paralysis of the left medial rectus muscle, slight general muscle weakness is described by these authors.

Local pain and local swelling, aswell as nausea and vomiting is reported after Walterinnesia aegyptia bites in Israel (Yayon 1988, 4 cases; unequivocal identification).

Signs of paralysis are described by Corkill  (1932) in Iraq after a bite by Walterinnesia aegyptia (= W. morgani, according to up to date taxonomy).

Literature (biological)

Bogert 1942, Broadley 1983, 1998, Broadley and Cock 1989, Disi 1990, Jakobsen 1997, Kochva 1990, Mane 1999, Minton 1992,Nilson andRastegar-Pouyani2007,Pitman 1974, Senter and Chippaux 2022, Villiers 1975, Visser and Chapman 1978, Wüster et al. 1999, Wüster et al. 2007

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