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Cobras are venomous Snakes of Family Elapidae , of several Genera . (Elapidae also include the taipans, brown snakes, tiger snakes, fierce snakes, coral snakes, mambas, and sea snakes.) Cobras generally inhabit tropical and desert regions of Asia and Africa . Elapidae cannot fold their fangs down, as Viperdae can, so the fangs are generally shorter. They kill their prey, usually small Rodent s and Bird s, by injecting a Neurotoxin through their hollow fangs. The neurotoxin blocks the Synaptic Communication between the victim's neurons and muscles, thus stopping movement and control. The King Cobra notably eats other snakes; it feeds almost entirely on other snakes, even venomous ones ( Ophiophagy ). The Spitting Cobra can also incapacitate larger would-be predators by delivering venom to their eyes. Cobras come in varying colors from black or dark brown to yellowish white. The (jet) black cobra found in Pakistan and North India is considered a sub-species of Indian Cobra (Naja naja). The cobra's most recognizable feature is its Hood , a flap of skin and muscle behind the head which it can flare, perhaps for the purpose of making it appear bigger and more threatening to predators. The cobra's predators include the Mongoose and some Raptors .
The cobra is important in Hindu symbolism, see under Naga (mythology) . SNAKES NAMED COBRA True Cobras: Africa:
Asia:
Despite the names, the following snakes are not strictly classified as cobras and do not belong to the cobra genus ''Naja''.
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