Naja atra question

Hi,

I have noticed that the majority of Naja atra pics posted by guys from Europe or surrounds are all the brown phase, I have the almost black phase which is relatively common in SA.

the question i have is, Does anyone know the localities where the different colour forms are found? and what do you think the reason for the one colour phase been common in one part of the worlds captive trade and the other not.

Here is quick pic i took of my atra a while ago, sorry don't have any good pics of them. Just to show the colour phase i keep.
Naja atra question P14003mod

Both colours occur in Taiwan or China. ( and other localities )
Peter Z. wrote something on his page about Naja atra, so he might can say more.

Quote :: and what do you think the reason for the one colour phase been common in one part of the worlds captive trade and the other not.

maybe the colour is more famous in one part of the world
one form is more often imported
maybe one form is dominant (genetic)

Ive seen a few black CB atra's in the UK.

I had one from Peeter Paster, stunner, creamy yellow colour.

Cheers,

Dave

Some couple of years ago, every light coloured atra sold in Europe has been named as "taiwanensis", suggesting the light coloured form inhabits Taiwan and jet black specimens must be chinese mainland animals.
Both colour forms do exist on Taiwan, the black form with banded or speckled body colouration.
VOGEL (2006) presents three of'em in his "Terralog" Vol. 14 Venomous snakes of Asia.
I have seen black specimens from northern Vietnam, and I' m keeping a brown coloured vietnamese couple.
This is leading me to the assumption, body colouration is not a geographic matter, and therefore both variations do occur in mainland China too, but I cannot proof that at the moment.
Both colour forms are distributed in european terrariums - I think it's just a matter of taste, which one You prefer. One solution to get out of this "dilemma" is to keep it both, as I do Laughing

@ Lourance
Have a look at very bright coloured taiwanese specimens and brown ones from Vitnam here:
http://www.reptilienzoonockalm.at/Najaatratab.htm
If You need some of my light phase taiwanese guys with nice aberrant hood pattern, just let me know...
Cheers
Peter

Hi Thanks for the replies. It was just interesting to me to see how the one colour could seem more common in one part of the hobby and not the other.

Thank you

Lourance Klose wrote:: Hi Thanks for the replies. It was just interesting to me to see how the one colour could seem more common in one part of the hobby and not the other.

Thank you

i also think it depends a lot on the exporter, where they are based etc.pp.
for a fact, the creme ones are more common in Taiwan, the black ones are often seen at the chinese mainland.. somethings to do with adaptations?

but as Peter Zürcher stated, both color phases are found at the whole range...

cheers
Mario

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