Black mamba
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Elapidae Genus: Dendroaspis Species: D. polylepis
Binomial name
Dendroaspis polylepis

The Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is an elapid snake. It is the largest venomous snake in Africa and the second longest venomous snake in the world. Only the King Cobra is longer. Adult black mambas have an average length of 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) and a maximum length of 4.5 meters (~14 ft).^[1] The black mamba receives its name from the black coloration inside of its mouth, rather than their skin color which is a gray to olive tone. The black mamba is reputed to be the fastest moving snake in the world, and has been claimed to move at up to 19.2 km/h (12 mph).

Behavior

A single bite from a Black Mamba may inject enough venom to kill 120-140 grown men, easily killing one unless the appropriate anti-venom is administered in time. When cornered, they will readily attack.^[2] When in the striking position, the mamba flattens its neck, hisses very loudly and displays its inky black mouth and deadly fangs. It can rear up around one-third of its body from the ground^[1] which allows it to reach heights of approximately four feet.^[2] When warding off a threat, the black mamba usually delivers multiple strikes, injecting its potent neuro- and cardiotoxin with each strike, often attacking the body or head, unlike most other snakes.^[3]

If left undisturbed, Black Mambas tend to live in their lairs for long periods of time, which are often vacated insect mounds or hollow trees. Black mambas are diurnal snakes that hunt prey actively day or night. When hunting small animals, the Black Mamba delivers a single deadly bite and backs off, waiting for the neurotoxin in its venom to paralyze the prey. When killing a bird, however, the Black Mamba will cling to its prey, preventing it from flying away.

Venom

Black mambas are among the ten most venomous snakes in the world. Black mambas can inject from 100 to 200 milligrams of venom in a single bite. Black mamba venom can kill a human in 20 minutes. With a LD50 of 0.25-0.32 mg/kg, the black mamba is 3 times as venomous as the Cape Cobra, 5 times as venomous as the King cobra and about 40 times as venomous as the Gaboon viper.^[4] Black mamba venom contains powerful, fast-acting neurotoxins and cardiotoxins, including calciseptine.^[5] Its bite delivers about 100-120 mg of venom on average, however it can deliver up to 400 mg of venom; 10 to 15 mg is deadly to a human adult. The initial symptom of the bite is local pain in the bite area, although not as severe as snakes with hemotoxins. The victim then experiences a tingling sensation in the extremities, drooping eyelids (eyelid ptosis), tunnel vision, sweating, excessive salivation, and lack of muscle control (specifically the mouth and tongue). If the victim does not receive medical attention, symptoms rapidly progress to nausea, shortness of breath, confusion, and paralysis. Eventually, the victim experiences convulsions, respiratory failure, and coma, and dies due to suffocation resulting from paralysis of the muscles used for breathing. Without treatment the mortality rate is nearly 100%,^[1] among the highest among venomous snakes.

Lifestyle

Black Mamba at St Louis zoo.

Black mambas live primarily in the grasslands of Africa (mainly residing in the Democratic Republic of Congo) and, though not considered an arboreal species, can live in bushes and small trees. Its diet consists mainly of small birds and rodents and, despite the negative reputation, it plays a crucial role in regulating pests.

Breeding

Breeding usually takes place in late spring or early summer. After mating the male will return to its own home. The female will then lay between 10 and 25 eggs. The offspring are independent as soon as they are born and can capture prey the size of a baby cow.

Breeding takes place when the two mambas twist their bodies together and can last for days. Females wait approximately 55 days before laying eggs. Female offspring are not bigger than male offspring.^[6]

Cultural references

• John Godey's novel 'The Snake' deals with a black mamba loose in New York's Central Park.
• The Air Jordan XIX (19) basketball shoe's design was inspired by the black mamba.^[7]
• Uma Thurman's character Beatrix Kiddo in the Kill Bill movie series has the codename "Black Mamba" - all DVAS members have snake codenames. The character of Budd was killed by a black mamba planted in a suitcase full of money. As he lies dying, Elle Driver, the one responsible for planting the snake, reads to him a compilation of facts about the snake's venom, similar to the information listed above.^[8]
• The 1982 British horror film "Venom" (starring Oliver Reed and Klaus Kinski) featured a black mamba, delivered to a young boy by mistake, and set loose in his house just as a kidnap plot went awry.^[9]
• There is a Marvel Comics character named Black Mamba.^[10]
• "Black Mamba" is also a name of a mecha from Heavy Gear.
• Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers gave himself the nickname "The Black Mamba".^[11]
• "Black Mamba" is the title of a song by the rock band The Academy Is....^[12]
• "Black Mamba" is the name of an inverted roller coaster at the Phantasialand, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.^[13]
• Marc Almond formed his Soft Cell off-shoot project calling it Marc and the Mambas.
• Mixed Martial Arts fighter Kultar Gill goes by his nickname, "The Black Mamba."
• "The Black Mamba" was the nickname used by Roger Mayweather (uncle and trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr.) during his days as a professional prizefighter.
• 'Black Mamba' is also a a generic name in popular culture for a large black vibrator or dildo, as seen in Red Dwarf.
• A black mamba sock puppet is seen occasionally on Wildboyz. The camera man would put it on, sneak up on someone sleeping, and slap them in the face.
• In the song "Sail Away", by Randy Newman, the absence of the mamba snake is one of the reasons why "it's great to be an American."
• Essau Kanyenda, a Malawian football (soccer) striker, is known throughout the football world as the "Black Mamba."

References

External links

• Richard Mastenbrok's Elapid Pages

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Black mamba"