Article

Capture of a specimen of Ophiophagus elaps

From Munshipedia, the MBRAS digital historical encyclopedia

Capture of a specimen of Ophiophagus elaps

This short note by N. B. Dennys, published in the Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (Vol. 2, 1878, pp. 233–235), records the capture of a specimen of Ophiophagus elaps (the snake-eating king cobra) in Singapore.

Summary

Dennys documents the occurrence of Ophiophagus elaps in Singapore, a species of particular zoological interest given its rarity in the region. The note is brief in scope, reporting the capture of a single specimen and its significance for the local fauna. The title’s reference to the “snake-eating hamadryad” reflects the contemporary common name for the king cobra, underscoring the species’ notoriety as a predator of other snakes.

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