The poisonous snake-King Cobra has been classified into 4 species. The scientists have brought out mysterious discoveries against the dangerous snake. The four species are-Northern king cobra, Sunda king cobra, Western Ghats king cobra and Luzon king cobra.
Dr. P. Gauri Shankar has been conducting research for two decades and has shared his findings about the King Cobra. After 12 years of research, scientists at the Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology in Agumbe concluded that the King Cobra comprises four distinct species. Their in-depth studies of the reptile’s body structure and genes over the past twelve years revealed that it does not belong to a single species.
The four species of King Cobra are: Northern King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), Sunda King Cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus), Western Ghats King Cobra (Ophiophagus kaalinga), and Luzon King Cobra (Ophiophagus salvatana). Ophiophagus kaalinga, found in southwestern India, has fewer bands on its body compared to the other species.
The second species, Ophiophagus hannah, is found in Northern India, Eastern Pakistan, India-China and Thailand and it has 5-70 bands on its body. The third species is Ophiophagus bungarus which has more than 70 bands on its body.
The fourth species Ophiophagus salvatana has no bands on its body and it is found in the south Philippines. DR P Gauri Shnakar said no one has ever imagined that king cobra has more than one species. He said the research team collected different samples of the snake’s tissues and studied thoroughly over colour, scales, and bands of the reptile’s bodies.
The scientists conducted their research in the northern parts of India, including the Himalayas and its vicinity, as well as in Indonesia and the southern Philippines. They confirmed that the King Cobra is a combination of four distinct species. 188 years ago, in 1836, Danish zoologist Theodore Edward Cantor gave the King Cobra its taxonomic identity.
