İnce, uzun ve silindir şeklindedir. Başı tabutumsu, gözleri orta boydadır.[5][6] Tipik yetişkin uzunluğu 2-3 metre (6ft 7in-9ft 10in) aralığında olsa da 4,3-4,5 metre (14ft 1in-14ft 9in) uzunluğa erişebilir.[6][7] Afrika'daki zehirli en uzun yılandır.[8][9] Zehirli yılanlar genelinde ise en uzun olan Ophiophagus hannahdan sonra gelir.[10] Ön dişleri maksillada olup 6,5 milimetre (0,26in) uzunluğa erişebilir[10][11] Kuyruğu uzun ve incedir.[5] Kaydedilen gövde ağırlığı ortalama 1,6 kilogram (3,5lb)[12] ağırlığında olsa da türün incelenen yedisinin ortalama ağırlığı 1,03 kilogram (2,3lb) olup, 1,01 metre (3ft 4in) uzunluğu ve 520 gram (18oz) ağırlığı ile 2,57 metre (8ft 5in) uzunluğu ve 2,4 kilogram (5,3lb) ağırlığı arasında değişkenlik göstermiştir.[13]
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