Regional Morphology

This is relevant for Elapids in North Africa, Near and Middle East.

Morphological identification key

Elapidae

Are the dorsal scales on the posterior part of the body and on the tail keeled?			yes	Walterinnesia aegyptia
no

Are the scales along the spine enlarged?	yes	Bungarus caeruleus (found in eastern Afghanistan and south eastern Iran only)
no

How many subcaudal scales (underneath the tail, from behind the anal plate A, which covers the cloaca, to the tip of the tail) are present? Scales divided down the middle count as a single scale!	40 or more			Naja sp. (African Cobras) Naja sp. (Asian Cobras)

	13–19			Elapsoidea sundevalli