Either of two venomous snakes belonging to the cobra family, found in Africa south of the Sahara. Unlike cobras, they are not hooded. (Genus Dendroaspis, family Elapidae.)

The green mamba (D. angusticeps) is 1.5 m/5 ft long or more and lives in trees, feeding on birds and lizards. The black mamba (D. polylepis) is the largest venomous snake in Africa, occasionally as long as 3.4 m/11 ft, and spends more time on the ground.