Boulenger (1896) re-described this species as follows: Rostral broader than deep, two fifths to half as broad as the head, forming an obtuse angle above, separating the internasals ; frontal small, as long as broad or broader than long, as long as the praefrontals, shorter than the parietals; internasal and posterior nasal in contact with the preocular, which is single or divided; three postoculars; temporals 2 + 4, lower anterior very large; six upper labials, fourth entering the eye; three or four lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields, which are longer than the posterior. Scales in 19 to 23 rows, smooth or faintly keeled, tubercularly keeled on the posterior part of the body and on the tail. Ventrals 115-135; anal entire; subcaudals 24-38. Pale greyish brown above, with transverse dark spots or cross-bands; a ^-shaped black marking on the head; a black nuchal collar encircling the neck, followed by a large black blotch; a black vertical streak below the eye; belly whitish. Measurements: Total length 190 mm, tail 22, Grows to 520 mm.

No separate diagnostic description was provided. Refer to the morphological description.

Type locality: “Kaffirland and the country toward Natal” Type: BMNH 1946.1.17.83 (and possibly additional specimens). Holotype: DNMNH (= TM) 5434, adult male, collected by Mr. Dreyer Dec 1896. [intermedius] Holotype: MZUB (?), collected by C. Fornasini between 1842 and 1847 [fulafulus]

This information was extracted from Tolley et al. (2023): Three subspecies are recognised, namely A. s. scutatus, A. s. intermedius and A. s. fulafula. According to Broadley and Baldwin (2006), the latter two subspecies may together represent a single species (A. s. fulafula is the older name) separate from A. s. scutatus. It is unclear whether the distributions of the subspecies are allopatric, and a phylogenetic analysis is needed to verify if there is any subspecies or species-level structure.

Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Aspidelaps scutatus is widespread across southern Africa. In South Africa, it occurs in the northern parts, from western North West province, across Limpopo province and into northern Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces. It has also recently been reported from the northern extremes of KwaZulu-Natal province as A. s. fulafula (Reissig et al., 2015).

Snakes move by making looping motions with their bodies. Consequently, snakes move in a creeping or slithering manner. The Speckled Shield Cobra burrows in sandy soil using its nose as a “bulldozer” (Branch, 1998).

Carnivore- rodents,reptiles& frogs

The Speckled Shield Cobra feeds at night, and has a varied diet, taking small mammals, amphibians, lizards, and even other snakes (Branch, 1998).

The species is oviparous, laying between 4-10 eggs and may coil around them to protect them (Branch, 1998).

In defense, it may feign death.

Grassland, Savanna