Studies by scientists from Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology in Agumbe headed by Dr. P. Gauri Shankar has concluded that the King Cobra comprises four distinct species in contrast to the earlier classification of only one species.
The four species of cobra has been identified as :
- Northern King cobra- Ophiophagus Hannah
- Sunda king cobra- Ophiophagus bungarus
- Luzon King cobra- Ophiophagus salvantana
- Western ghats King cobra – Ophiophagus kaalinga
From the research conducted by Dr P. Gauri Shankar and his team for 12 years it was found that there are four species distinguished on the basis of the bands present on their bodies. The sample collected was the snake’s tissues, body structure and genes and by thoroughly examining colour, scales and bands present on their bodies for 12 years.
They findings shocked them as the Northern King Cobra had five (5) to 70 bands on its body and was found mostly in North India, Eastern Pakistan, India-China and Thailand. The Sunda King Cobra had more than 70 bands. The third species of Luzon King Cobra has no bands on its body and in mostly seen in South Philippines. The Western ghats king cobra was found in Southwestern India and had fewer bands on its body.
These conclusions has shocked them as no one thought that there would be four distinct species of King cobras existing. These new findings have defied the old ones, conducted 188 years ago in 1836 by Danish zoologist Theodore Edward Cantor who gave its taxonomic identity.