Английская Википедия:Dwarf water cobra
The dwarf water cobra (Naja nana) is a small, venomous species of aquatic cobra found in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Katanga). It was first described by Marcel Collet and Jean-Francois Trape in 2020, based on two specimens from Lake Mai-Ndombe.
Taxonomy
Naja nana is classified under the genus Naja of the family Elapidae, and considered a member of the Boulengerina subgenus, along with related species such as Naja annulata, Naja christyi, and Naja melanoleuca. The genus name Naja is a Latinisation of the Sanskrit word Шаблон:IAST (Шаблон:Lang), meaning "cobra”; the species name nana derives from the Latin word, nanus, which means feminine, in reference to its small size.
Description
The dwarf water cobra typically doesn't grow longer than Шаблон:Cvt,[1] unlike the two other semiaquatic African Naja species, Naja annulata and Naja christyi, both of which can attain lengths of up to about Шаблон:Cvt.[2]
Distinguishing features of the species include its characteristic defensive posture, its aquatic lifestyle, the straight-row arrangement of its dorsal scales, and its distinctive coloration: black with small white or yellowish spots, a whitish abdomen, and a black underside of the tail.[3]
The eggs of the dwarf water cobra are large and elongated, and require 70 days of incubation to hatch.[4]
Behavior
Dwarf water cobras can swim and climb, but generally prefer a terrestrial habitat, although they will hunt and defecate in water when able.[5] In the wild they are exclusively piscivorous,[6][2] although in captivity they are often fed a rodent-based diet.[5] One case of cannibalism of a conspecific snake is known.[2]
References
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ 2,0 2,1 2,2 Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ Ошибка цитирования Неверный тег
<ref>; для сносокrdне указан текст - ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ 5,0 5,1 Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite book
