First formally described by Albert Günther in 1864, it is the second-longest venomous snake after the king cobra mature specimens generally exceed 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and commonly grow to 3 m (9.8 ft). It is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
The black mamba ( Dendroaspis polylepis) is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae.
