Walterinnesia Aegyptia Snake Venom (Black Desert Cobra Snake Venom)

Description

Walterinnesia Aegyptia Snake Venom – Black Desert Cobra Snake Venom:

Walterinnesia Aegyptia snake venom | Black Desert Cobra snake venom is extracted from a snake called Walterinnesia Aegyptia.

More details about Walterinnesia Aegyptia snake venom | Black Desert Cobra snake venom:

The desert cobra is highly venomous. The subcutaneous LD₅₀ for the venom of W. aegyptia is 0.4 mg/kg.

For comparison, the Indian cobra’s (Naja naja) subcutaneous LD₅₀ is 0.80 mg/kg, while the Cape cobra’s (Naja nivea) subcutaneous LD₅₀ is 0.72 mg/kg.

This makes the desert black snake a more venomous snake than both.

Venom toxins of the desert cobra are similar to those of the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), indicating a close relationship.

Like many elapid snakes, the venom is primarily neurotoxic and the effects of envenenomation are due to systemic circulation of the toxins rather than from local effects on tissue near the site of injection.

Taxonomic Classification:

About Walterinnesia aegyptia Snake:

Walterinnesia aegyptia, also known as the desert cobra or desert black snake, is a species of venomous snakes in the family Elapidae that is native to the Middle East.

The specific epithet aegyptia (“of Egypt”) refers to part of its geographic range.

Taxonomy:

Walterinnesia aegyptia was long considered to be the only species within the genus. However, it was subsequently found that the eastern populations represent a different species, Walterinnesia morgani.

Description:

These two species are very similar in appearance and habits.

W. aegyptia is entirely black, and has highly shiny scales.

W. morgani differs in having a juvenile pattern of reddish crossbars on the back, and lower average ventral and subcaudal scale counts. They have cylindrical bodies and short tails.

Their average length is 0.5 meters (1 ft 8 in), but they can grow to 1.8 meters (5 ft 11 in). The head is moderately small, broad, flattened and slightly distinct from the neck. The snout is broad, sharply edged with a distinct canthus rostralis.

The eyes are small in size with round pupils. The dorsal scales are smooth anteriorly and weakly keeled on the posterior part of the body and tail.

They are very glossy throughout. Dorsal scale count 27 (24 to 29) – 23 (21–25) – 17. Unlike other snakes commonly referred to as “cobras”, the black desert cobras rarely rear up or produce a hood before striking in defence.

Behaviour:

Desert black snakes are strictly terrestrial and nocturnal, being most active around midnight.

They actively pursue and forage for their prey and, rather than envenomate their prey with an open mouth, they usually bite sideways at short distances and often use constriction and suffocation techniques in addition to their venom.

There are reports of these snakes being aggressive when molested but, like most snakes, they will usually try to escape rather than immediately bite or face their threat.

Venom is not injected immediately when they bite, but released seconds later with chewing movements.

Diet:

These species feed mainly on lizards such as skinks, geckos and agamids, other snakes, toads, and occasionally mice and birds. They will also readily eat carrion.

Reproduction:

The snakes are oviparous.

Distribution

The range of the species encompasses southern Israel, north-western Saudi Arabia, western Jordan, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and possibly Lebanon. The type locality is Cairo, where the type specimen was purchased.