The elapids

This family comprises 60 genera containing 291 species. They are the cobras, kraits, mambas, coral snakes, taipans and sea snakes.

Superficially, elapids closely resemble colubrids, to which they are undoubtedly related. They differ from them chiefly in their dentition: cobras and their close relatives have a pair of proteroglyphous fangs, by means of which they inject their venom.

The terrestrial elapids:

They are made up of 43 genera containing 229 species. Apart from the cobras, made familiar by films about snake charmers, this family includes a number of brightly coloured species, often called coral snakes in America, Africa and Australia where they live, as well as several dark-coloured members, most of them Australian. Their classification alongside the sea elapids is still the subject of much conjecture.

Elapids are for the most part highly venomous snakes. This family is found across much of the world, and is more common in the southern hemisphere. Australia is particularly rich in species, which makes up for the absence of vipers and the tiny number of colubrids.

The death adder:

Although they resemble vipers and behave like them, death adders are elapids. They are found in northern Australia and New Guinea. Their powerful, fast-acting venom and their sluggish nature make them responsible for many serious bites in Australia. But they never bite unless provoked, and they prefer to avoid confrontation.

To catch prey, the snake stays motionless, with its body well hidden and its curved tail displayed near its head. The tip of the tail, thin and rough, can look like a caterpillar or a worm to a lizard or a mouse. It may be a different colour from the body, and the snake wriggles it to increase the effect of the lure.

The Guinea green mamba:

It is one of the 3 green species of mamba. It is a brightly coloured snake, with large scales, a pointed head and prominent large eyes. Mambas are among the best-known African venomous snakes. If disturbed, they prefer to flee and bite only if cornered. The bite is very dangerous and often proves fatal if it is not treated at once.

The black mamba:

It is the longest snake in Africa (it can reach 3.5 m!) and one of the most feared. When threatened, it rears up, and a large individual could easily look a person in the face! Its colour ranges from brown to grey or olive, but is never black.

The red spitting cobra:

It stands out from other cobras by its splendid reddish-brown colouring. It is a small cobra (about 1 m) that lives in the dry savannahs and scrubland of north-east Africa. This species defends itself at a distance by projecting high-pressure jets of venom through small openings at the front of each fang. It is, however, by biting that it injects its venom when hunting. As a last resort, it can also defend itself this way, but bite victims recover quickly. If it feels in danger, it spreads its hood by changing the position of its ribs. The purpose of spreading the hood is to intimidate prey by making the snake look larger, but also to signal its venomous nature to potential predators.

The sea elapids:

They comprise 17 genera containing 62 species. There are several important differences between the terrestrial and the marine elapids, and some believe that the sea elapids should be placed in a separate family.

Although they are extremely venomous, they are generally harmless, and there are few human deaths from their bites.

Most of them feed on fish, such as eels, but some are specialists that eat only fish eggs. They are found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and are especially abundant around the coasts of northern Australia. Most species are associated with coral reefs.

Keeping and precautions

Elapids (cobras, mambas, coral snakes…) are among the most venomous snakes; their venom acts mainly on the nervous system (it is described as “neurotoxic” venom). These are not ordinary pets: keeping them is strictly regulated and reserved for authorised and trained keepers.