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The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae.It is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa.First formally described by Albert Günther in 1864, it is the second-longest venomous snake after the king cobra; mature specimens generally exceed 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and commonly grow to 3 m (9.8 ft).
The second-longest venomous snake in the world is possibly the African black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis), which can grow up to 4.5 m (15 ft). Among the genus Naja, the longest member arguably may be the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca), which can reportedly grow up to 3 m (9.8 ft).
[13] [14] The black mamba is the most feared snake in Africa because of its size, aggression, venom toxicity and speed of onset of symptoms following envenomation, [15] and is classified as a snake of medical importance by the World Health Organization.
A mamba may retain the same lair for years. Resembling a cobra, the threat display of a mamba includes rearing, opening the mouth and hissing. The black mamba's mouth is black within, which renders the threat more conspicuous. A rearing mamba has a narrower yet longer hood and tends to lean well forward, instead of standing erect as a cobra does.
The coastal taipan closely resembles the African black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) in size, body shape, colour, venom toxicity, and hunting behaviour—both employing a "snap and release" strategy. This convergence is thought due to their adaptation to hunting mammals; the large size is needed to eat large prey, and lethal venom is to ...
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Black mambas that reach this size are obviously rare and verifiable data is actually hard to track down." This article evolved this to: "The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is the largest venomous snake in Africa, with an average length around 8 feet (2.5 m), but may grow to over 14 feet (4.5 m)."
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