The Black Mamba
The Black Mamba The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. 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). Specimens of 4.3 to 4.5 m (14 to 15 ft) have been reported. Its skin colour varies from grey to dark brown. Despite the common name, the skin of a black mamba is not black, but rather describes the inside of its mouth, which it displays when feeling threatened. The species is both terrestrial (ground-living) and arboreal (tree-living); it inhabits savannah, woodland, rocky slopes and in some regions, dense forest.. Over suitable surfaces, it can move at speeds up to 16 km/h (10 mph) for short distances. In a threat display, the black mamba is the most feared snake in Africa because of its size, aggression, venom tox...