The family Elapidae has 44 genera and 186 species, which can be divided into the subfamily Bungarinae, the subfamily Elapinae and the subfamily Notechinae. Widely distributed on all continents except Europe. Terrestrial habitat. The maxilla is short, horizontal, and cannot be erect; the venomous snakes with anterior groove teeth are mainly neurovenomous, and there are also mixed venomous ones. Including many highly venomous snake species, such as inland Taipan snake (thin-scaled Taipan snake) Oxyuranus microlepidotus, black mamba snake Dendroaspis polylepis, etc. There are 4 genera and 8 species in my country, mainly distributed in the south of the Yangtze River, such as Bungarus fasciatus, silver krait Bungarus multicinctus, Calliophis macclelandi, Naja naja, King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah. Among them, the King Cobra can reach 6 meters in length and is the largest venomous snake.

Bungarus multicinctus

Bungarus fasciatus

Sri Lankan krait Bungarus caeruleus

Malay krait Bungarus candidus< /p>

The head and neck of the genus Bungarus are difficult to distinguish, with small or medium eyes and round pupils; there are 2 to 4 small teeth behind the front teeth. The ridge scales are enlarged, the scales under the tail are single row, there are no cheek scales, and the dorsal scales are smooth, with 15 rows in each. About 12 species are known, mainly distributed in Asia, and there are 2 species in my country. There are two subspecies of Bungarus multicinctus in my country: the nominative subspecies, with 203 to 221 abdominal scales, 31 to 50 rings on the trunk, and 8 to 17 on the tail. They are distributed in central China, South China, southwest China and Taiwan. As well as Myanmar and Laos; the Bungara Yunnan subspecies has 213 to 231 abdominal scales, 20 to 31 rings on the trunk, and 7 to 11 on the tail. It is only produced in southwestern Yunnan, China. It is about 1 meter in length and has a black and white ring pattern on its back. The ventral surface is entirely white. There is one row of scales on the back and the whole body, and the middle row of scales (ridge scales) expands into a hexagonal shape. The lower tail scales are all single row. It inhabits plains, hills or foothills near water; it is active in the evening or at night, and is often found in fields, roadsides, cemeteries and vegetable gardens. It preys on loaches, eels and frogs, as well as various fish, rats, lizards and other snakes. Oviparous. Eggs are laid from May to August, 5 to 15 eggs are laid each time, and the incubation period is about one and a half months. Young snakes become sexually mature after 3 years. Bungara snakes are highly venomous and have a pair of long groove teeth (anterior groove teeth) at the front of the maxilla. After being bitten, people often die due to respiratory paralysis. Adult bungara snakes are used for medicinal purposes. Young snakes that are hatched for 7 to 10 days are dried and used as medicine, called "money white snake". It has the effect of rheumatism, calming convulsions, and treating rheumatic paralysis, infantile convulsions, tetanus, scabies and syphilis. Bungara gall can cure convulsions caused by high fever in children. Bungarus fasciatus is a highly venomous snake with front groove teeth. Together with the cobra and the gray rat snake, it is known as the "Three Snakes" and is a famous edible snake species. It is distributed around 25 degrees north latitude and areas south of it, including Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi and southern Yunnan in my country. It can reach Nanchang, Jiangxi in the east and north. It is distributed in South Asia and Southeast Asia abroad. It inhabits plains or low mountains with an altitude of 180 to 1014 meters, near water with good vegetation coverage. Evening activities. Eats snakes and occasionally lizards or other vertebrates. Oviparous, 6 to 14 eggs are laid under rotten leaves or in caves from May to June. Snake bodies soaked in wine and snake gallbladders are also used as medicine. For a long time, large numbers of snakes have been killed for domestic sales or export. Because the distribution range of this snake is narrower than that of the bungara snake, its number is originally small and it is extremely rare in the wild.

Caliophis macclelandi

Caliophis bivirgata

The head and neck of Calliophis are difficult to distinguish, and there are no cheek scales. The back is brown or purple-brown, and the scales on the back are 13 or 15 lines, smooth; the tail is short, and the scales under the tail are paired. About 13 species are known, and there are 3 species in my country: Calliophis kelloggi in Fujian, Calliophis macclelandi, and Calliophis sauteri in Taiwan. Found in South China, Central China and Southwest China, it is relatively rare. It lives in mountain forests, is active at night, rarely bites people, and eats other small snakes.

Acanthophis antarcticus

Acanthophis praelongus

Coral cobra Aspidelaps lubricus

Hemachatus haemachatus

Cacophis squamulosus

Australian snake Demansia torquata

Black mamba Dendroaspis polylepis

Green mamba Dendroaspis angusticeps

Helmet-headed snake Hoplocephalus bungaroides

Micruroides euryxanthus

Texas coral snake Micrurus tener

Bengal cobra (Naja kaouthia)

Black-necked cobra Naja nigricoll

Naja genus Naja has front groove teeth, followed by 1 to 3 small teeth; the head and neck are difficult to distinguish, and the neck can be dilated and flattened; the pupils are round and there are no cheek scales. The dorsal scales are smooth and arranged diagonally, and the lower tail scales are in pairs. About 20 species are known, and there are 2 species in my country. The cobra Naja naja is found from southern Africa through southern Asia to the islands of Southeast Asia. The head is oval, with white spectacle frame-like markings on the back of the neck. The back of the body is dark brown with more than ten yellow-white horizontal spots. The body can reach 2 meters in length. With hibernation behavior. Feed on fish, frogs, rats, birds and bird eggs. The breeding period is from June to August, and 10 to 18 eggs are laid each time. They hatch naturally and are guarded by the parent snake nearby. The incubation period is about 50 days. When provoked, the front part of the body will stand up and the sides of the neck will swell. At this time, the glasses ring pattern on the back will become more obvious, and at the same time it will make a "whooshing" sound to intimidate the enemy. Our country includes two subspecies: the Bengal cobra Naja Naja kaouthia and the Zhoushan cobra Naja Naja atra.

Philippine cobra Naja philippinensis

Egyptian cobra Naja haje

Australian tiger snake Notechis scutatus

King cobra Ophiophagus hannah

There is only one species of the genus Ophiophagus, the king cobra Ophiophagus hannah. There are front groove teeth, followed by 3 small teeth, which are difficult to distinguish on the head and neck. The head has a pair of large occipital scales, and the lower tail scales are either single or in pairs. With a body length of 120 to 400 centimeters and a weight of 2 to 8 kilograms, it is the largest venomous snake. It is widely distributed in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. It is found in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Tibet in China. It lives in trees from plains to high mountains, and is often found near streams in mountainous areas, and is also found near villages in forest areas. They usually hide in rock crevices or tree holes, and sometimes they can climb trees. Often the back half of the body is wrapped around the branches, and the front half is hanging or raised in the air. Active day and night. Mixed poison, an adult snake excretes more than 300 mg of poison in sequence.

Inland Taipan Snake Oxyuranus microlepidotus

There are 2 species of the genus Oxyuranus, Pseudechis australis, distributed in the Australian desert. Among them, the inland Taipan Snake Oxyuranus microlepidotus is the most venomous snake in the world. The strongest snake.

Western Pseudonaja nuchalis

Australian Rhinoplocephalus bicolor

Black-banded cobra Simoselaps fasciolatus

Though-scaled Eastern snake Tropidechis carinatus

Vermicella annulata