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King Cobra and the little snakes that challenge it

The imposing king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), instantly recognizable by its flaring hood, is the worldโ€™s biggest venomous snake and can grow to reach nearly 13 feet (4 meters) long. It inhabits a sizable kingdom across the Asian tropics, stretching from Indonesia to India.

However, new research reveals that the king cobraโ€™s massive domain is not ruled by just one species; rather, there are four distinct species of king cobra.

The four proposed species (which are yet to be officially named) are the Western Ghats lineage in southwestern India; the Indo-Chinese lineage in Indonesia and western China; the Indo-Malayan lineage spanning India and Malaysia; and the Luzon Island lineage, found in the Philippines.