page_title: Caspian cobra
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Caspian cobra / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Caspian cobra (Naja oxiana)
context_page_description: The Caspian cobra, also called the Central Asian cobra, ladle snake, Oxus cobra, or Russian cobra is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to Central Asia.
context_section_description: Naja  oxiana is medium in length, a heavy-bodied snake with long cervical ribs capable of expansion to form a hood. Anteriorly, the body is depressed dorsoventrally, and posteriorly it is subcylindrical. This species averages about 1 m (3.3 ft) in total length (including tail) and rarely reaches lengths over 1.5 m (4.9 ft). The head is elliptical, depressed, and slightly distinct from the neck, with a short, rounded snout and large nostrils. The eye is medium in size with a round pupil. The dorsal scales are smooth and strongly oblique, with the outer two or three scale rows larger than the remainder. Juveniles tend to be pale, with a faded appearance. Juveniles have noticeable dark and light cross-bands of approximately equal width around the body. Adults of this species are completely light to chocolate brown or yellowish, with some specimens retaining traces of juvenile banding, especially the first few dark ventral bands. This species has no hood mark and no lateral throat spots.
caption: A Caspian cobra
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