American king cobra (SciiFii)

The American king cobra (Ophiophagus magnum) is a species of venomous elapid snake of the king cobra genus Ophiophagus that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, wetlands, forests, and open woodlands across North America to help boost biodiversity. The American king cobra is one of the longest venomous snake in the world, with an average length of 3.18 to 4 meters (10.4 to 13.1 feet), reaching a maximum of 5.85 m (19.2 feet). Its skin colour varies across the habitats, from black with white stripes to unbroken brownish grey. Like other snakes, the American king cobra receives chemical information via its forked tongue, which picks up scent particles and transfers them to a sensory receptor (Jacobson's organ) located in the roof of its mouth. When it detects the scent of prey, it flicks its tongue to gauge the prey's location, with the twin forks of the tongue acting in stereo. It senses earth-borne vibration and detects moving prey almost 100 m (330 ft) away. Following envenomation, it swallows its prey whole. Because of its flexible jaws it can swallow prey much larger than its head. It is considered diurnal because it hunts during the day, but has also been rarely seen at night. It preys primarily on other reptiles, including snakes (even occasionally its own species). Like other snakes, it often hunts non-reptile vertebrates, such as rodents. Like most cobras and mambas, the king cobra's threat display includes spreading its neck-flap, raising its head upright, puffing, and hissing. Despite its fearsome reputation, the king cobra avoids confrontation with humans whenever possible. When provoked, however, it is capable of striking a target at long range and well above the ground. Rather than biting and retreating, it may sustain its bite and inject a large quantity of venom, which is less power and, therefore, less lethal than those of the Asian king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) and native American rattlesnakes, although still a medical emergency. The female is gravid (pregnant) for 50 to 59 days. The American king cobra is one of the few snake that builds a nest using dry leaf litter, starting from late March to late May. Most nests are located at the base of trees, in tunnels, or in deep burrows similarly to rattlesnakes. They consist of several layers and have mostly one chamber, into which the female lays eggs. Clutch size ranges from 9 to 47 eggs, with 8 to 44 eggs most often hatching after incubation periods of 66 to 105 days. Temperature inside nests is not steady but varies depending on elevation from 1.2 to 43.3 °C (34.16 to 109.9 °F). Females stay by their nests between two and 77 days. Hatchlings are between 37.5 and 58.5 cm (14.8 and 23.0 in) long and weigh 9 to 38 g (0.32 to 1.34 oz). The venom of hatchlings is half as potent as that of the adults. They may be brightly marked, but these colours often fade as they mature. They are alert and nervous, being highly aggressive if disturbed. The average lifespan of a wild American king cobra is about 25 years, although captive American king cobras can live nearly twice as long. The conservation status of the American king cobra is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the American king cobra's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii