Black Mamba

[jmsnakes]

The Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is rarely black in colour. Its overall colour is usually olive green, dark olive, greyish brown or gunmetal grey, sometimes with darker mottling that may form oblique bars. But some old individuals may well be very dark in colour and from a distance may appear to be black. Juveniles are mostly light to medium grey in colour with a light belly. It is often sa...id that the common name of this snake originates from the colour of the inside of the mouth, which is inky black. When threatened, the Black Mamba is quick to draw back into a striking position, may form a hood but opens the mouth to expose the dark interior. Despite going through the literature I cannot find an easy answer as to where the name came from and my guess is that some really old, dark individuals were seen and it was named the Black Mamba. The word mamba comes from the Zulu word iMamba.

[TimK]

All dangers aside, that is a stunningly beautiful creature