Black Mamba
| Black Mamba | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||||||||||||||
| The Black Mamba | |||||||||||||||||
| Conservation status | |||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | |||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | |||||||||||||||||
| Dendroaspis polylepis Günther, 1864 |
|||||||||||||||||
The Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) belongs to the Elapidae family of snakes. It is the second largest venomous snake in the world. An adult Black Mamba can grow up to 14 feet in length.[2] The Black Mamba's skin is not actually black, it gets its name from the colour of the roof of its mouth.
[change] Bite
A Black Mamba's bite is easily enough to kill an adult man. The deadly poison takes between 30 minutes to 3 hours to kill, in most cases.[3] Unlike most snakes it has enough venom to bite many times in a short period. A Black Mamba usually attacks the head of its prey if possible. For this reason a Black Mamba can raise itself to a height of almost four feet.[3]
[change] Related species
The black mamba is related to all members of the elapidae family, which has the cobras and the Australian death adder.[4]
[change] References
- ↑ Template:Redlist species
- ↑ "National Geographic Mamba profile". http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/black-mamba.html.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Deadly snakes of Africa". http://www.tlcafrica.com/tlc_snakes.htm.
- ↑ Wildlife Fact File: Reptiles & Amphibians. Pittsburgh: International Masters Publishers. 1994.
