6. Why is he called “King”? Despite being called King Cobra, he actually belongs to a genus of its own, called Ophipohagus. The King Cobra, or Ophipohagus Hannah, is classified under the Elapidae family. It is not a member of the Naja genus which include most cobra species, known as “true cobras”. The Ophipohagus Hannah has 11 large scales on his head which resemble a King’s crown, hence his majestic name. By the way, Ophiophagus is the latin word for “Snake Eater”. So YES, King Cobras eat other snakes, as you’ll see later…