Shield-nosed Snake
Aspidelaps scutatus
near Nylsvley,
Limpopo Province,
South Africa
7 January 2006
The program forced me to select one of three subspecies. I have no idea which subspecies this may be. The animal was crawling across the lawn of a house in the country and we were able to take some photos before letting it crawl away.
This adult female elapid was found crossing the road at night about 60 km east of Springbok in Cape Province, South Africa.
Aspidelaps is a genus of venomous elapid snakes found in Africa. They are commonly called shield-nosed cobras after their cobra-hoods and enlarged rostral (nose) scales. However, the hood is not nearly as well developed in Aspidelaps as it is in Naja.
