CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA
SNAKES IN BOTTLES
Most snakes that are bottled are Asiati c cobras. All 11 species of Asiatic cobra are covered under CITES.
IDENTIFICATION: SPECIES Check: (1) Hood mark; (2) Throat
Hood mark: shape variable - spectacle, mask, horseshoe or O- shape, often linked to light throat area on at least one side. Throat: clearly defined light throat area, usually a pair of clearly defined lateral spots. Naja atra (Chinese cobra)
Hood mark: O- or mask-shaped, may be faint. Throat: one pair of lateral throat spots
Naja kaouthia (Monocled cobra)
Hood mark: a spectacle-shaped hood mark may be present, especially in some juveniles; Throat: throat heavily mottled with dark brown pigment in adults.
Naja mandalayensis (Mandalay spitting cobra)
DOCDM-430474 CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA Hood mark: hood mark spectacle-shaped, not linked to light throat area on sides; often absent, especially in adults Throat: generally a spot on the outer edges; throat pattern often ill- defined.
Naja naja (Indian cobra)
Hood mark: none Throat: no lateral throat spots. Appearance: mottled
Naja oxiana (Central Asian cobra)
Hood mark: none Throat: no lateral throat spots. Appearance: uniformly light or medium brown
Naja philippinensis (Philippine cobra)
Hood mark: monocle hood mark present Appearance: adults tend to be uniform.
Naja sagittifera (Andaman cobra)
Hood mark: none Throat: light, then dark scales; scales on side of throat are ‘spotted’
Naja samaraensis (Peters’ or Samar cobra)
DOCDM-430474 CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA Hood mark: V, U, or, most commonly, spectacle-shaped, but often very indistinct or absent altogether Appearance: highly variable; can be black/white stripes
Naja siamensis (Black and white spitting cobra)
Throat: bands may be visible Appearance: faint, pale yellow cross bands down the length of the body
Ophiophagus hannah (King cobra)
Hood mark: Juveniles often have throat band and lateral throat spots, sometimes a hood mark, which is most often chevron-shaped, rarely mask-, spectacle-, horseshoe- or O-shaped. Appearance: adults usually uniform yellowish, brown or blackish
Naja sputatrix (Indonesian cobra)
Hood mark: none Throat: variable
Naja sumatrana (Equatorial spitting cobra)
Note: -if the wine is from an Asian country and is a cobra, it is likely to be CITES-listed -no scorpions from Asia are listed on CITES
DOCDM-430474