Description of a New Cobra (Naja Laurenti, 1768; Squamata, Elapidae) from China with Designation of a Neotype for Naja atra.

ABSTRACT: Taxonomic frameworks for medically important species such as cobras (genus Naja Laurenti, 1768; Squamata, Elapidae) are essential for the medical treatment of snake bites and accurate antivenin development. In this paper, we described the former N. kaouthia populations recorded from China as a new species and designated a neotype for N. atra-based morphological and mitochondrial phylogenetic analysis. The new species N. fuxisp. nov. was morphologically diagnosed from N. kaouthia by (1) regular single narrow crossband present on the middle and posterior parts of the dorsum (3-15, 7.9 ± 2.7, n = 32) and the dorsal surface of the tail (1-6, 4.2 ± 1.1, n = 32) of both adults and juveniles, buff-colored with dark fringes on both edg

SUBMITTER: Shi SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9774835 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature