south american water cobra
south american water cobra Lexical Profile
• noun
A colloquial or common name typically referring to the false water cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas), a large, semi-aquatic, rear-fanged colubrid snake native to South America that flattens its neck to form a hood when threatened.
"While exploring the wetlands of the Brazilian Pantanal, the herpetologist documented a South American water cobra hunting amphibians in the shallow marsh."
Word Nuance & Usage
True cobras (genus Naja) are entirely absent from the Americas; this term is a common misnomer referring to the false water cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas), named for its defensive display of flattening its neck into a pseudo-hood.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from its geographic origin in South America, its semi-aquatic natural habitat, and its ability to mimic the hood of a true cobra (from the Portuguese 'cobra de capelo', meaning 'snake with a hood').