Hemachatus haemachatus...

[Jeremy]

Hi all,
Can anyone here explain the skull structual differences between the genus Hemachatus and the genus Naja? I have heard vauge discriptions in a few publications but nothing that went into any detail. I know their different by haveing keeled scales and being live bareing but I think the structual differences in the skull and posibly other parts of the skeloton are the main factors which place this sp seprete from Naja.

Well, thanks for any insight you can give me!

All the best,
J

[Nightflight99]

Marais (1992) mentions skeletal differences in addition to being heavily keeled and ovoviviparus as the major differences between Hemachatus and true Naja, but does not elaborate. This is another case where there isn't much information available in the literature.

Regards,

---Nightflight99