A review of the southern African ‘non‐spitting’ cobras (Serpentes: Elapidae: Naja)

Abstract

We analysed the systematics of the ‘non‐spitting’ cobras of southern Africa, paying particular attention to the Naja annulifera complex. Multivariate morphometric analyses demonstrate that the taxa annulifera and anchietae are consistently distinct and homogenous over their respective ranges, and their distributions overlap in western Zimbabwe, with only limited intergradation. Sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene indicate that they are separated by considerable genetic distances. These results suggest that these two taxa are morphologically and genetically distinct evolutionary lineages, and should be considered as two separate evolutionary species, N. annulifera and N. anchietae.