Ophiophagus Kaalinga | 26 Nov 2024

Source: TH

Recently, Karnataka's king cobra species, known locally as ‘Kaalinga Sarpa,’ is officially named Ophiophagus Kaalinga in the scientific community.

King cobras were first classified in 1836 as Ophiophagus hannah by Danish naturalist Theodore Edward Cantor.
- King cobras underwent no genetic studies for 186 years until recently.
The king cobra has been reclassified into four distinct species based on geographical lineages:
- Northern King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah): Found from Pakistan to eastern China and Southeast Asia.
- Sunda King Cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus): Inhabits Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, and parts of the Philippines.
- Western Ghats King Cobra (Ophiophagus kaalinga): Endemic to India’s Western Ghats.
- Luzon King Cobra (Ophiophagus salvatana): Found only on Luzon Island, Philippines.
King cobras are diurnal (active during the day), feeding primarily on snakes like rat snakes, dhamans, and other cobras.
The king cobra is the only snake that builds and guards a nest until the eggs hatch.
Its venom is used in developing pain relievers like Cobroxin and Nyloxin.